CAMPBELLSBURG – Troopers from Indiana State Police Sellersburg are investigating a fatal car versus motorcycle crash that occurred Monday evening on a rural county road in northwestern Washington County.
Around 8:49 p.m., Indiana State Police, along with units from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Washington County EMS, and the Campbellsburg Fire Department, responded to a crash in the 7000 block of North White River Road.Â
When units arrived, they found two vehicles, a green 2000 Suzuki motorcycle and a 2001 Mercury Mountaineer SUV, off the east side of the roadway.
The driver of the motorcycle, 31-year-old Jacob W. Lengel, of Salem, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Mountaineer, a 17-year-old male from Campbellsburg, was not injured.
An Indiana State Police crash reconstruction team was called to assist. After a preliminary investigation, officers believe the motorcycle was southbound on White River Road and traveling at a high rate of speed. Investigators say the bike went left-of-center after rounding a corner and cresting a hill. Evidence at the scene indicates the driver of the northbound SUV attempted to avoid striking the motorcycle; however, both vehicles hit head-on on the east side of the roadway.
Investigators remained on-scene until approximately 1 a.m. this morning.
Alcohol is believed to be a factor in this crash.
This crash is still under investigation.
