Jasper native killed in Indianapolis accident

A Jasper native died in a traffic accident that occurred early Sunday morning on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

Indiana State troopers from the Indianapolis Post are investigating the accident that killed two people.

According to police, at approximately 2:35 a.m., troopers were dispatched to Shadeland Avenue NB just south of Fall Creek Road for the report of a personal injury crash.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Henry Pierce Jr, 37, of Indianapolis, was northbound in a 2016 Cadillac on the collector ramp from the northbound lane of I-465  to Shadeland Avenue NB and struck the guardrail on the east side of the roadway.

Police say it is not clear at this time if the vehicle reentered the roadway and perhaps was a factor in causing a subsequent accident involving Reanna McCormick, 25, of Indianapolis.

According to police, McCormick was northbound in a 2006 Chevrolet Impala on the collector ramp from I-465 NB to Shadeland Avenue NB when for an unknown reason, her vehicle left the roadway and went up on a small embankment. It traveled over and through a guardrail before landing on a southbound 2002 Hyundai Sonata being driven on Shadeland Avenue by Steven Mann, 39, of Jasper.

After striking the Sonata, the Impala continued to roll and came to rest inverted on top of a guard rail on the west side of the roadway.

McCormick and Mann were pronounced deceased at the scene by the Marion County Coroner’s Office.

Brenden Mills, 33, of Indianapolis, a front seat passenger in the Hyundai, was transported to Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition.

Pierce Jr. was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, operating while intoxicated and obstruction of justice.

This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with information regarding this crash is encouraged to contact Trooper Joshua Graves at the ISP Indianapolis Post at 317-899-8577.