Fatal Single-Vehicle Crash Under Investigation in Franklin County

A 17-year-old from Laurel has been ID'd as the victim.

Shutterstock photo.

(Franklin County, Ind.) - The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred early Sunday morning, along State Road 1 near Blooming Grove.

At approximately 4:30 a.m., deputies and emergency personnel from the Blooming Grove Fire Department were dispatched to the 14000 block of State Road 1. Upon arrival, responders located the driver, identified as Ethan M. Heath, 17, of Laurel, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Preliminary investigation indicates Heath’s vehicle was traveling northbound when, for reasons still under investigation, it left the east side of the roadway. The vehicle struck a culvert and driveway, went airborne, and rolled multiple times before coming to rest.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the Blooming Grove Fire Department, the Franklin County Coroner’s Office, the Brookville Police Department, and the Indiana State Excise Police, continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The Franklin County Community School Corporation released the following statement:

"FCHS will have additional counselors available at school on Monday to support any staff member or student who may need assistance processing the difficult news that has impacted our community. This tragedy is felt deeply across our FCCSC family. In times like these, we lean on one another for strength and comfort. Please keep the family, our staff, and our students in your thoughts as we walk through this difficult time together. We encourage anyone who needs support to reach out to our counseling department."