NORTH VERNON, Ind. – The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office responded to a two-vehicle crash on State Road 3 at County Road 300S, south of Vernon, last Saturday at 11:30 p.m. Upon arrival, deputies found a Ram truck and a car involved in the accident. The truck was being operated by Leroy Bertram Jr., 26, of North Vernon, and the car was being driven by Francis Kyle Loper, 46, of Scipio.
Loper was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in his vehicle, Michelle Loper, 33, of Scipio, was flown to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. A passenger in the truck, Hailey Edmondson, 23, of Vernon, was taken to St. Vincent Jennings ER and later flown to Indianapolis.
The investigation surmised that Bertram was allegedly under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death. None of the occupants in the crash was believed to be wearing seat belts.
The Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Team responded and assisted in the investigation.