OHIO CO. – On Friday, Investigators with the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post began conducting a death investigation along the Ohio River in Rising Sun, Indiana.
The initial investigation indicated that at approximately noon today, Ohio County Deputies and Rising Sun Police Officers began looking for a gold-colored Jeep Liberty that had allegedly left the scene of a crash in rural Ohio County. Officers soon located the vehicle as it approached Rising Sun. The vehicle fled from the officers as they attempted to stop it.
The vehicle drove approximately one mile to an Ohio River boat ramp near Front Street and 2nd Street in Rising Sun where investigators believe the driver intentionally drove into the river. Officers immediately entered the water in an attempt to free the driver, who was the lone occupant. The investigation indicated that the officers made it to the vehicle and contacted the adult male in the vehicle. It is believed that the driver remained uncooperative and refused to exit the vehicle. Officers were unable to make entry into the vehicle before it became submerged.
Indiana Conservation Divers were called to the scene and located the driver deceased inside of the vehicle. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Ohio County Coroner’s Office. Investigators will work with the coroner’s office to determine a cause and manner of death.
The identity of the deceased individual is not being released at this time.
The investigation is ongoing and toxicology results are pending.
Indiana State Police Detectives have been assisted by the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, Rising Sun Police Department, Indiana Conservation Officer Divers, Dearborn County Water Rescue, Lawrenceburg and Rising Sun EMS, Ohio County Fire Departments, Ohio and Dearborn County Coroner’s Offices, and Dis-Bec Towing.
