Wayne County, IN – A tragic crash involving two pickup trucks on Saturday, January 11, claimed the life of a woman and left three others injured. The accident occurred around 4 p.m. at the intersection of South U.S. Highway 27 and State Route 122, approximately seven miles south of Richmond.
Emergency responders arrived to find a Chevy pickup and a Dodge pickup in a field southwest of the intersection, the aftermath of a devastating collision.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased as 60-year-old Nannie Byrd of Manchester, Kentucky, a passenger in the Chevy. Byrd was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chevy, a 68-year-old man also from Manchester, sustained severe injuries and was airlifted to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, for treatment.
The Dodge pickup was carrying two juveniles, who suffered minor injuries. Both were taken to Reid Health in Richmond for medical care.
Preliminary findings from the investigation suggest that the Dodge was traveling westbound on State Route 122 and failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection with U.S. Highway 27. The southbound Chevy struck the passenger side of the Dodge, sending both vehicles careening into the adjacent field.
The intersection was closed for several hours as law enforcement and emergency personnel worked to assess the scene and provide aid to those involved.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the circumstances leading up to the crash. Authorities are working to determine whether factors such as speed, visibility, or impairment contributed to the Dodge’s failure to stop at the intersection.
This tragic incident serves as a somber reminder of the importance of adhering to traffic signals and practicing caution at intersections. The Wayne County community mourns the loss of Nannie Byrd and extends its thoughts to her family, as well as to those injured in the collision.