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Last updated on Wednesday, July 6, 2016
(LOOGOOTEE) - A Fourth of July Crash north of Loogootee took the life of an Odon man, injured four children, and resulted in an Odon woman going to jail on numerous felony charges.
At 2:40 p.m. Monday, Jessica I. Bechtel of Odon was traveling southbound on US 231 near County Road 700 North (five miles north of Loogootee) in her 2006 Dodge Durango, when she crossed the center line and drove into oncoming traffic.
According to Indiana State Police, Terry Tapp of Martinsville was traveling northbound in his 2015 Chevrolet Traverse and saw Bechtel driving towards him. Both drivers swerved in an attempt to avoid the crash; Bechtel was able to avoid colliding with Tapp's Chevrolet, but instead struck the camper trailer he was pulling.
As a result of the crash, debris from the trailer was thrown through the front passenger side window of the Dodge, and struck the front seat passenger, Tyson Willkie of Odon.
Willkie was pronounced dead at the scene by the Martin County Coroner.
Four children inside the Dodge were also injured. Shaylee Bechtel, of Odon, was transported to Daviess County Hospital in Washington and later transferred to St. Mary's in Evansville. The other three children were treated and released to family members at the scene.
During the investigation of the crash, Troopers found that Bechtel was high on drugs at the time of the crash. Police say she had amounts of meth, amphetamine, and benzodiazepine in her blood. She was arrested on a Level 3 felony charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a controlled substance causing death, a Level 6 felony charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a passenger under 18 years old and a Level 6 felony of neglect of a dependent placing a dependent in a dangerous situation. She was transported to the Martin County Jail without incident.
US 231 was closed for approximately two hours while the crash was investigated.
The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Loogootee Police Department, Martin and Daviess County Sheriff's Departments, Indiana Conservation Officers, Martin County and Southwest EMS, and the Loogootee Fire Department
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