NEW CASTLE — A Greenfield man died and three others are under arrest after a deadly car crash over the holiday weekend that involved alcohol, officials from the Henry County Sheriff’s Department said.
James Ethan Davis, 21, of Greenfield, has been identified as the victim in the crash.
Henry County Emergency Services received a call around 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning about a damaged vehicle in the parking lot of Boars Head Meats, 125 E. Henry County Road 400S. The location is east of State Road 3 on the south side of New Castle.
The caller said an unresponsive person was still inside a damaged vehicle. Emergency responders rendered aid, but Davis, who was a passenger, died from injuries suffered in the crash, officials said.
A short time later, Henry County sheriff’s deputies located the driver and two other passengers. The three men, who were arrested, were found just east of the crash scene on Henry County Road 400S.
Investigators say the vehicle, a 2010 Kia driven by Parker Smeltzer, 18, of Spiceland, left the roadway near Brooks Drive and struck a utility pole, causing heavy damage to the passenger side of the vehicle. Smeltzer received minor injuries and was treated and released from Henry County Hospital. Cameron M. Bennett, 18, Indianapolis, a passenger, sustained minor injuries. A second passenger, Abraham J. Beyersdorfer, 18, New Castle, was unharmed.
According to the police report, investigators believe alcohol was a contributing factor.
Smeltzer was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated; leaving the scene of an accident; public intoxication, and minor consumption of alcohol. Beyersdorfer was charged with minor consumption of alcohol and assisting a criminal. Bennett was charged with assisting a criminal.
The investigation is ongoing, officials from the Henry County Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday.
