HANCOCK COUNTY – Officials from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department (HCSD) say a motorcycle and truck collided in Charlottesville near the Hancock-Henry County line late Friday afternoon claiming the life of a New Castle man.
Tony West, 58, New Castle, was the driver of a Harley-Davidson motorcyle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, Capt. Robert Harris said in a release.
Officials were called at approximately 5:20 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11 to the area of Carthage Pike and U.S. 40 for a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck. The location is about ten miles east of Greenfield, in the town of Charlottesville. Deputies arrived on scene and called for the Hancock County Fatal Accident Crash Team (F.A.C.Team) to respond because of the severity of the crash.
The crash involved a 2010 Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by West and a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck. The Ford was occupied by one male driver, Randy Mathis, 70, Charlottesville. Mathis has cooperated with the investigation. He voluntarily submitted to blood and alcohol tests as part of routine procedure for a fatal crash.
He was transported by ground ambulance to Methodist Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Harris said the Harley-Davidson was traveling east on U.S. 40 toward Knightstown. The Ford was traveling north on South Carthage Road towards U.S. 40. From evidence at the scene, it appears the Ford began to cross U.S. 40 and entered the eastbound traffic lanes when the Harley-Davidson struck the Ford.
During the crash, West’s arm was partially amputated. Two Wayne County Jail Officers happened to drive by after the crash. They stopped and rendered aid. The jail officers applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and attempted to save West’s life.
Additionally, the crash occurred in the vicinity of the Charlottesville Fire Department. Members of the fire department arrived and also rendered aid while the Greenfield Fire Department was also responding to the scene.
Unfortunately, Harris noted West succumbed to his injuries before he could be transported to the hospital.
“Due to the Wayne County Jail Officers and Charlottesville Fire Department members being there, West had the best chance of survival possible, but his injuries were not survivable,” Harris said.
U.S. 40 was closed for a short time while law enforcement investigated the scene. Members of the multi-jurisdictional Hancock County F.A.C.Team, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, Greenfield Police Department, Fortville Police Department, Shirley Police Department, Charlottesville Fire Department, and Greenfield Fire Department assisted on the scene.
“The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind all drivers to look twice for motorcycles,” Harris said. “We also encourage all motorcycle drivers to wear helmets.”
