JUDAH— A fatal crash in Judah on Monday afternoon claimed the life of a Bloomington man after a car collided with his bicycle at the intersection of State Road 37 and Old 37.
According to Lawrence County Sheriff Greg Day, central dispatch received a 911 call at 3:28 p.m. reporting a collision involving a passenger car and a bicyclist. Deputies and other first responders were immediately dispatched to the scene.
A preliminary investigation by the sheriff’s office revealed that 26-year-old Jimmy Arthur of Mitchell was driving a black 2012 Chrysler 200 southbound on State Road 37. At the same time, 70-year-old Mark Dayton of Bloomington was riding his bicycle westbound on Old 37.
Witnesses from several vantage points, including a driver stopped on State Road 37 and multiple individuals on Old State Road 37, told investigators that the traffic light for westbound Old 37 was green. In contrast, the light for northbound and southbound State Road 37 was red.
As Dayton entered the intersection on his bicycle, Arthur allegedly ran the red light and collided with the cyclist. The impact caused catastrophic injuries to Dayton, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Arthur was uninjured in the crash.
Arthur’s Chrysler came to a stop near the median on the southbound side of State Road 37.
Indiana State Police crash reconstructionist John Yung was called to the scene to assist with the investigation. As required by law, Arthur submitted to a blood draw, and the results are pending.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Indiana State Police, Oolitic Town Marshal’s Office, Marshall Township Fire Department, Oolitic Fire Department, IU Health EMS, Bedford Fire Department, and the Lawrence County Coroner’s Office.
