Lack of hazard lights at crash scene causes second crash

A crash at the intersection of State Road 64 and State Road 161 caused a second crash when a driver was unable to see one of the wrecked vehicles in the roadway Wednesday evening.

According to Dubois County Sheriff’s Department, the first crash occurred at about 6:34 p.m. when Sara O’Connell, 25, of Pinehurst Dr., Jasper, turned her 2003 Chevrolet Venture into the path of a 2016 Buick Lacrosse driven by David Betcher, 27, of Ann Harbor, Mich.

O’Connell turned south on State Road 161 from State Road 64 and was struck by Bretcher who was eastbound on State Road 64. Bretcher’s vehicle went down an embankment off State Road 64.

According to police, O’Connell’s Chevrolet was in the roadway without any lights or hazards on and she was out of the vehicle when Scott Weyer, of W. 13th St., Ferdinand, ran into it with his 1995 Plymouth Neon.

No one was injured in the two accidents.

According to police, O’Connell’s vehicle had about $2,000 in damages, Bretcher’s Buick had about $5,000 and Weyer’s Plymouth may have had up to a $1,000 in damages.

Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Services, first responders and wreckers from Sternbergs and Uebelhor and Sons responded to the scene.