On Sunday, June 30th, just after 5:15 a.m., Midnight Shift Patrol Deputies were summoned to the 4400 west block of State Road 8, in rural Prairie Township, for a vehicle crash. The first deputy to arrive located a green Ford F-150 pickup truck in the lawn of a residence near a large tree. The male driver, who was the lone lone occupant, was trapped inside the pickup truck. Following extrication, the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was identified as 58 year old Lewis J. Hunt of North Judson. The crash investigation determined Hunt had been traveling east on SR 8. For an unknown reason, the pickup truck traveled off the side of the roadway for extended distance, overcorrected and then traveled back onto the paved portion of the roadway. The pickup truck proceeded across the eastbound lane, crossed the centerline, left the north side of SR 8 and traveled into the lawn of the residence in the 4400 west block. The pickup truck struck a large tree head-on prior coming to rest.
Alcohol has been ruled out as being a factor in the crash. Toxicology test results are pending.