GAS CITY – Thursday at approximately 8:36 a.m., officers from the Indiana State Police, the Grant County Sheriff’s Department, and the Upland Police Department responded to a two-vehicle crash on State Road 22 near Grant County Road 500 East, in which a man died.
The preliminary crash investigation by Master Trooper Jeremy Perez revealed Jeremiah Rupel, 41, of Upland, was driving a 2011 Ford Focus westbound on State Road 22 near County Road 500 East. For an undetermined reason, the Ford crossed the center line and into the eastbound lane, hitting, head-on, a 2020 Freightliner semi-tractor that was pulling an empty box trailer. The semi-tractor was driven by Gabriell Eliserio, 39, of Kokomo, IN.
Rupel died at the crash scene. Eliserio was not injured.
This is an ongoing investigation, but at this time, neither the consumption of alcoholic beverages nor narcotics is suspected of having contributed to this crash.
Perez was assisted at the crash scene by Master Trooper Randy McPike, Master Trooper Eric Treon, the Grant County Sheriff’s Department, the Gas City Fire Department, the Upland Police Department, Grant County EMA, and the Grant County Coroner’s Office.
