YORKTOWN — A 58-year-old woman and her pet dog were found dead after floodwaters swept her vehicle off a roadway in Yorktown.
Deputies with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 4100 block of S. Bell Creek Road after a car was spotted in a standing cornfield roughly 80 to 100 feet off the road. Upon investigating, officers located a deceased dog inside the vehicle. Moments later, deputies discovered the woman’s body approximately 50 feet west of the car, where she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Preliminary investigations indicate the driver attempted to navigate through moving floodwaters covering Bell Creek Road before strong currents forced the vehicle off the roadway. Authorities believe she managed to exit the submerged vehicle but subsequently drowned. Water levels across the roadway had topped three feet deep during peak flooding.
“This is another tragic reminder of just how dangerous floodwaters can be,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a release. “Please do not attempt to drive through standing or moving water. It is extremely difficult to judge the depth of the water, the condition of the roadway underneath it, or the strength of the current.”
Historic Flooding Prompts Statewide Disaster Emergency
The incident occurred during a wave of severe storms and historic flooding across central Indiana. The heavy rainfall caused rivers—including the White River in nearby Muncie—to crest several feet above major flood stage, inundating roads, neighborhoods, and public facilities in Yorktown.
In response to widespread storm damage, high water, and infrastructure failures, Indiana Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency to mobilize state resources and assist local recovery efforts.
Additional Flood-Related Fatalities
The tragic discovery on Bell Creek Road is part of a series of weather-related incidents in Delaware County:
- Mississinewa River Recovery: The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office also confirmed the recovery of 18-year-old Matthew Morey from the Mississinewa River. The recent Delta High School graduate had gone missing after jumping into the river during elevated water conditions.
- Regional Water Rescues: Emergency crews across several counties have performed dozens of water rescues and ordered localized evacuations as swollen waterways continue to strain regional drainage systems.
