CLAY COUNTY, IN (WTWO/WAWV) – A Carbon man is dead after being struck by an alleged drunk driver on Sunday evening in Northern Clay County.
According to the Indiana State Police, the fatal crash happened Sunday night on County Road 1450 North at State Road 59.
According to a preliminary investigation by Trooper Caleb Hughes and accident reconstructionist Trooper Rondell Shelton, a 2018 Honda passenger vehicle driven by Courtney Withers, 36, of Carbon, Indiana, was traveling westbound on County Road 1450 North. Withers failed to see a male walking alongside the roadway and struck him. The vehicle then traveled to the south side of County Road 1450 North, running off the roadway, and coming to a stop.
The victim has been identified as Samuel Chambers, 48, Carbon, Indiana. As a result of the impact, Chambers sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Clay County Coroner’s Office. His family has been notified.
Further investigation by Trooper Hughes revealed that Withers displayed signs of impairment. Withers submitted to a standard field sobriety tests and failed. A certified chemical test was performed, and those results are pending. The Clay County Department of Child Services was contacted because a child under the age of 18 was in Withers’ vehicle. The child was later released to a family member.
Withers was taken into custody and transported to the Clay County Jail without incident. Withers is charged with causing death while operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a passenger under 18.
