NORTH VERNON, Ind. – The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office on Friday at 12:15 a.m. responded to the 4000 block west of County Road 300N in Geneva Township for an accident involving injuries.
Upon arrival, deputies found two subjects who had been ejected from the vehicle and had sustained serious injuries. Both were flown from the scene to Indianapolis area hospitals in serious condition.
It was determined that both subjects had been passengers in the rear seat of the vehicle and had not been wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The two front seat occupants had been wearing seatbelts suffered minor injuries from the crash.
The initial investigation indicates that a car being operated by Tyler Parker, 20, of North Vernon, was traveling westbound on C. R. 300N. at a high rate of speed when the vehicle became airborne as it crested a hill. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it left the roadway, overturning multiple times, during which the rear seat passengers were ejected.
Subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of Tyler Parker for allegedly operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury as well as multiple other charges. It is suspected that a combination of alcohol and excessive speed contributed to the accident.