INDIANA — Indiana State Police are continuing to investigate a multi-vehicle crash that claimed the lives of four people Tuesday afternoon in Jay County, east of Bryant.
The victims were identified as Henry Eicher, 50; Menno Eicher, 25; Paul Eicher, 19; and Simon Girod, 23, all of Bryant.
According to a news release from the Indiana State Police Public Information Office, the crash occurred just before 4 p.m. in the area of State Road 67 and County Road 550 East.
Police said a 2019 International semi tractor-trailer driven by Gert Pretoruis, 44, of Geneva, was traveling east on State Road 67 near County Road 550 East and slowed for traffic. A second vehicle, a 2022 Freightliner semi tractor-trailer driven by Bekzhan Beishekeev, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was also traveling eastbound.
According to investigators, the Freightliner failed to stop and swerved into the westbound lane, where it struck a 2011 Chevrolet van driven by Donald Stipp, 55, of Portland.
Indiana State Police said the investigation remains active and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Multiple agencies assisted at the scene, including the Indiana State Police Critical Incident Team, Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Division, Jay County Sheriff’s Department, Portland Police Department, Portland Fire Department, Bryant Fire Department, Geneva Fire Department, Jay County Coroner’s Office, and Jay County EMS.
