The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that left a 14-year-old dead and four others injured Sunday afternoon. Emergency crews were called to the 1900 block of Orchard Road around 2:28 p.m. Deputies say a teenage driver lost control after the vehicle crested a hill at high speed, went airborne for roughly 50 feet, hit a tree, and came to rest in the roadway. A 14-year-old passenger was ejected through a rear side window and later died at a local hospital. The driver and three other passengers suffered minor injuries. A drug-recognition expert evaluated the teen driver, and while impairment is not suspected, a blood sample was taken as part of standard procedure. Accident reconstructionists are working to download crash data as the investigation continues. The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office will release the victim’s name at a later time. Orchard Road was closed for several hours as crews worked the scene.
