Greenfield-Central High School Senior Dylan Palmer
GREENFIELD — The community is in mourning over the loss of a local teenager who died following a single-car accident Saturday night. Law enforcement officials believe speed was a contributing factor in the crash of the popular Greenfield-Central High School student.
Dylan Palmer, 17, Greenfield was pronounced deceased at the scene of the one-car accident which occurred around 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. The accident happened near the intersection of county roads East 500N and North 50E., near Maxwell Intermediate School, two miles north of Greenfield.
Dylan was a well-liked G-CHS student, district officials said. Superintendent Harold Olin noted he, the rest of the administrative staff, teachers and students are heartbroken after getting word of Dylan’s passing.
“We were extremely saddened by the news,” Olin said. “This will be really rough on the student body, the faculty and the larger Greenfield-Central community.”
Olin noted the corporation crisis team was on site Monday at the high school to support the students and staff and will be available for as long as they are needed.
Jason Cary, G-CHS principal seconded Olin’s views on Dylan, saying he was a great member of the Class of 2023.
“He was a wonderful young man,” Cary said.
Cary noted Dylan had attended the school’s Winter Semi-Formal dance earlier Saturday night before he had the accident.
According to many who knew Dylan, there was complete heartbreak and shock around the Greenfield community as dozens of people posted condolences to his family on social media.
“Dylan was my first friend when I moved here in 2017,” said McKenzie Miller, “His nickname was ‘Palm-tree’ and my heart is absolutely broken into a million pieces.”
Elizabeth Knoblock, who worked with Dylan at Montana Mikes, posted, “Gosh dang it, Dylan!!! This is devastating!! What a sweet boy!”
One statement that resonated throughout the comments posted by Dylan’s friends who left thoughts about him was the word “kind” with many simply calling him, “a kind young man.”
“I can’t speak,” said Natalie Norris Mosley Klenotic wrote. “I’m gutted … Such a kind boy.”
Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene of the accident late Saturday night 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 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Dylan, who was the only occupant.
The Mitsubishi was traveling west on East 500N coming from Ind. 9 when the vehicle ran off the roadway and flipped near North 50E, Capt. Robert Harris of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department said.
“The crash was witnessed by two people who stood by until rescue and police arrived,” Harris said. “At this time speed is suspected to be the leading factor.”
However, Harris noted the investigation is ongoing. East 500N was closed for an extended period while officers from the Hancock County Fatal Accident Crash Team investigated.
