SHELBY CO. – A motorcyclist was killed this morning in a single motorcycle crash on I-74 near State Road 9. His name has now been released.
He was identified as 37-year-old Jay Griffith Jr., of Shelbyville. Griffith was a Shelby County Sheriff’s Department deputy.
“It is with great regret to report the motorcyclist who was involved in the fatal crash on I-74 near the S.R. 9 exit this morning was Deputy Jay L. Griffith Jr. Deputy Griffith was off duty at the time of the crash,” said Shelby County Sheriff Louie Koch. “He began his career with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department in June of 2013. Deputy Griffith’s passing is an immense loss to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and the community in which he lived and served. I want to share my condolences with Jay’s family friends and colleagues, he will be greatly missed. Please respect the Griffith Family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
Griffith was off-duty at the time of the crash and was participating in a multi-state motorcycle ride with a large group of other motorcyclists. The ride had just started in Shelbyville when the crash occurred.
At 3:38 a.m. deputies from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, along with Indiana State Police troopers responded to reports of a single motorcycle crash westbound on I-74 at the 113-mile marker. When Deputies arrived they found an adult male pinned under the motorcycle, he was unconscious and unresponsive. Despite life-saving efforts by first responders, the man was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Preliminary investigation by Indiana State Police Crash Reconstructionists determined the motorcyclist was traveling west on I-74 and exited onto the ramp to State Road 9. For unknown reasons the motorcyclist applied the brakes and began to skid. The motorcycle fell over and trapped the rider underneath. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet.
This crash is still under investigation and there is no further information to release.
