Hendricks County, IN (October 19, 2026) – One person died in a two-vehicle crash on State Road 39 north of Lizton on the afternoon of October 19, according to the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to a report of a crash at around 2 p.m. near the intersection of County Road 950 North. A preliminary investigation found that a Ford Fusion was traveling southbound on State Road 39 when it crossed into the northbound lanes, the sheriff’s office said. The Fusion then reportedly struck a trash truck that was traveling northbound.
The driver of the Fusion, its only occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff’s office is withholding the driver’s identity pending appropriate notifications. The trash truck driver was not injured.
Officials said it is unknown whether drugs or alcohol were a factor. State Road 39 was closed between County Road 950 North and County Road 975 North as of the news release. The sheriff’s office asked drivers to seek alternate routes.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Fatal Crash Claims and Comparative Fault in Indiana
The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute’s Indiana Crash Facts 2024 report shows rural areas accounted for 22 percent of the 872 traffic deaths in Indiana that year. After a fatal crash, a sheriff’s office describes preliminary findings, and the full investigation can add to them.
Investigators commonly look at the road, both vehicles, and the conditions at the time. A family can ask those same questions after a first report points in one direction.
- First steps: Ask the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office for the crash report when it is available. Ask that both vehicles be preserved, since camera and electronic data can be overwritten. Send insurance calls to one person or an attorney.
- Who may be liable: The investigation will decide who bears responsibility. It may involve more than one party, such as a vehicle owner, an employer, or a maintenance provider. Indiana’s modified comparative fault rule allows a claim only when the injured person is less than 51 percent at fault, so how fault is assigned matters.
- Deadline: Wrongful death claims must generally be filed within two years of the date of death (IC 34-23-1-1). Counting from the October 19, 2026 crash date, that is October 19, 2028. If a city, town, or county owned the trash truck, notice to that entity is due within 180 days (IC 34-13-3-8). That is April 17, 2027.
How Langer & Langer Helps After a Fatal Car Crash in Indiana
A fatal crash leaves a family with funeral costs, insurance calls, and questions about what happened. A car accident lawyer in Indiana from our firm can take the insurance calls and request the crash and carrier records. We also look at which policies may apply.
When a commercial vehicle is involved, we also look at who owns and insures it. We represent families statewide from our Valparaiso office.
What Indiana families get from Langer & Langer after a fatal car crash:
- Serving Indiana families since 1980
- More than 100 years of combined legal experience
- Steven L. Langer, former President of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
- Recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America
- Free consultation, no fee unless we win
- $4.1 million car crash settlement
Our office is at 4 Indiana Ave, Valparaiso, IN 46383. Call 219-245-5881 or reach us through our contact page.
