Teen Killed in Interstate 70 Crash
Hendricks County—This afternoon at 12:49, Indiana State Police and area emergency agencies responded to a four vehicle crash in the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 at the 59 mile marker. The crash killed a teenager and injured nine others.
Preliminary investigation revealed a westbound tractor-trailer, driven by 51-year-old Kenneth B. Gieger Jr. of Princeton, IN., failed to slow for traffic that was slowing for an Indiana Department of Transportation temporary work area near the scene. The tractor-trailer then struck a white, 2012 Ford rental box truck in the rear, driven by 39-year-old Matthew Roeder of Peoria, Arizona. The impact then forced the Roeder box truck into the rear of a 2006 Bluebird school bus, driven by 52-year-old Wendell R. Clay of Richland, Missouri. The tractor-trailer continued to veer left impacting a white 1998 Chevrolet van, driven by 51-year-old Mark G. Stewart of St. Louis, Missouri, ultimately forcing the van into the inner barrier cables.
A passenger in the rental box truck driven by Matthew Roeder was pronounced deceased at the scene. The deceased was identified by Hendricks County Coroner Joe Neuman as 19-year-old Jace D. Roeder of Woods Cross, Utah, the son of driver Matthew Roeder. Family has been notified.
Kenneth Geiger and Matthew Roeder were transported to area hospitals for treatment of what is believed to be non-life threatening injuries. Wendell Clay and Mark Stewart reported no injuries. Kenneth Geiger was cited for following too close.
The school bus had 23 high school students and five adults onboard and were returning to Stoutland and Richland Schools in Missouri from a Future Farmers of America (FFA) Conference in Indianapolis. Seven teenage students were transported to area hospitals for treatment of complaint of pain and precautionary. The remaining students and adults were bussed to nearby Cascade High School of the Mill Creek School Corporation to await transportation back to Missouri.
Both westbound lanes of I-70 were reopened at 4:23p.m. Traffic had been rerouted northbound on State Road 39 to westbound US 40.
At this time, drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the crash.
The tractor-trailer was from KC Trans., Inc. of Princeton, Indiana.
The crash was investigated by ISP Master Trooper David Furnas. Assisting were various troopers from the Indianapolis and Putnamville Posts, Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement personnel, Hendricks County Coroner’s Office, Plainfield Fire/Rescue, Liberty Township Fire/Rescue, Brown Township Fire/Rescue, and the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Pictures of the scene attached.
I do not have a list of the area hospitals the injured were sent nor a list of names for the students.
Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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SGT. JOE WATTS
