TERRE HAUTE — A five-year-old girl is in Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment of internal injuries after a head-on crash Sunday evening on Terre Haute’s east side.
On Sunday, Dec. 13, at about 9:13 p.m., Indiana State Police troopers and other Vigo County emergency agencies responded to a two vehicle head-on crash on U.S. 40, just west of Hunt Road and near Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Preliminary investigation revealed a 2005 Pontiac Grand Am was eastbound on U.S. 40 in the passing lane and a 1998 Saturn was westbound on U.S. 40 in the passing lane. Both vehicles apparently swerved to the left, causing the vehicles to collide head-on. The drivers both stated they thought “something” was in their lane and swerved to the left.
The driver of the Pontiac Grand Am was Nicole B. Nicoson, 20., of Knightsville. She was wearing a seatbelt and was transported to Terre Haute Regional Hospital for complaint of stomach pain. Her male passenger, Dean Entzler, 21, unknown address, also was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured.
The driver of the Saturn was Cynthia Bullock, 52, of Terre Haute. She was wearing a seatbelt, but was trapped in her vehicle for nearly 20 minutes before being extricated by the Terre Haute City Fire Department. She was transported to Regional Hospital and later flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for fractures of both legs and other injuries.
The front seat passenger, Nicholas Bentonfelix, 25, of Terre Haute was taken to Terre Haute Union Hospital for hip pain. He was not wearing a restraint. The right rear passenger and the driver’s daughter, Eugenia Bullock, age 24, of Terre Haute was taken to Union Hospital and later flown to Methodist Hospital for head injuries. She was not wearing a seatbelt. The left rear passenger, Heavenlee-Angel Johns, 5, was wearing a lap belt only and not in an approved child safety seat. She was first taken to Union Hospital and later flown to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment of internal injuries. Her injuries appeared life threatening. She is the daughter of Eugenia Bullock and the driver’s granddaughter.
The eastbound and westbound lanes of U.S. 40 were closed for about two hours while troopers conducted their investigation.
The crash investigation is ongoing and being conducted by ISP Trooper Mike Finney and ISP crash reconstructionist Detective Chris Carter.
They were assisted at the scene by ISP Trooper Mike Taylor, Terre Haute City Fire and Police departments, Trans Care Ambulance Service and the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department.
Alcohol was not a factor in this crash and various traffic related citations may be issued at the conclusion of the investigation.
