Staff Reports
An 81-year-old Seymour man lost his life in a five-vehicle crash Friday afternoon at the bottom of Crane Hill.
The wreck that left Herschel Williams dead started shortly after 1 p.m. when the 2014 Ford F150 he was driving east on U.S. 50 crossed the center line and hit a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox being driven west by Brandy Schafstall, 45, of Seymour, according to a report from Senior Trooper David Owsley with the Indiana State Police.
The impact caused Schafstall’s vehicle to overturn once before coming to rest on its wheels near County Road 260E, police said.
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Williams’ vehicle continued east and hit a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Seth Zike, 40, of Brownstown head-on. Zike’s vehicle also overturned and came to a rest on its top in a ditch, Owsley reported.
A 2005 Chevy Equinox, driven by Haley Godsey, then struck a guardrail while avoiding Schafstall’s vehicle that had come to rest in the middle of the roadway, police reported.
A 2001 Toyota truck was damaged by debris in the roadway while trying to avoid the other vehicles involved in the crash.
Williams was taken to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, where he was pronounced dead by an official with the Jackson County Coroner’s Office.
Jackson County Emergency Medical Services personnel also treated and took Schafstall to Schneck for evaluation of non-life-threatening injures, Owsley said.
Zike and three others in his vehicle were treated and taken to Schneck by EMS personnel.
An Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is assisting with the ongoing investigation, police said. Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be a factor.
Others assisting at the scene include troopers from Versailles Post, officers with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and Brownstown Police Department, personnel with Brownstown Volunteer Fire Department and Seymour Fire Department, StatFlight, Hampton’s Wrecker Service and 31 Wrecker Service.