Spencer County Sheriff’s Office
Driver hydroplanes
Kevin Dupont, 53, of Tell City, was northbound on SR 545 near the intersection of CR 1075 N in Santa Claus when his 1995 Ford F150 hydroplaned on the wet roadway. His truck then ran off the roadway and ended up in a water-filled ditch. Dupont and a passerby were able to pull his truck from the ditch, but the F150 would not start due to engine damage and had to be towed from the scene. Dupont was not injured in the August 14, 4:25 a.m. accident. Damages were estimated between $1,000-2,500.
Same highway and morning, different hydroplane
Just 25 minutes after Dupont’s accident, 28-year-old Kendall Harlen of Tell City was also northbound on SR 545 near the intersection of CR 900 N in Santa Claus when she hydroplaned on the wet roadway and lost control of her 2013 Mitsubishi SUV. The vehicle then crossed into the southbound lane before sliding off the road and into a ditch. According to the report, the front end of Kendall’s SUV was completely submerged in water. Kendall was not injured in the August 14, 4:49 a.m. accident, but damages were estimated between $5,000-10,000.
Ran off road
Marissa Schnell, 23, of Jasper, was northbound on SR 545 near Santa Calus when, she later told authorities, she sneezed, which caused her to nearly run off the roadway. She then over-corrected while attempting to regain control of her 2005 Ford Escort and ran off the left side of the roadway into a ditch. Schnell was not injured in the August 11, 3:24 a.m. crash, but damages were estimated between $2,500-5,000.
Driver strikes embankment
Kenneth Furness, 19, of Rockport, was southbound on SR 161 in Rockport at the intersection of More Drive when, he later told authorities, he crossed the median, exited the roadway and collided with an embankment on the southeast side of the intersection. According to police, Furness advised he did not remember what had caused him to crash but that he was fatigued prior to it. Furness was not injured in the August 7, 7:30 a.m. accident, but damage to his 2003 Ford Escape was estimated between $5,000-10,000.
