Wednesday morning rollover crash sends driver to hospital with face and skull fractures
A Linton woman sustained serious injuries in a one-vehicle rollover crash Wednesday morning south of Linton. She was transported to the hospital with fractures to her face and head after her Jeep left the road, hit a power pole then rolled at least three times.
Patricia Hugunin was seriously injured when her Jeep Wrangler left the roadway Wednesday morning, hit a power pole then rolled three times. Photo by Deputy James Carpenter, Courtesy of Greene County Sheriff’s Department
Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy James Carpenter, the lead investigator, responded to the scene on State Road 59 south of Linton in the area of County Road 600 South.
Patricia L. Hugunin, 60, of Linton, was driving a green 2000 Jeep Wrangler southbound on SR 59 when the crash occurred at approximately 8:55 a.m. Wednesday, May 22.
Deputy Carpenter said he attempted to talk to Hugunin on the scene but she was disoriented from the crash and said she didn’t know what had happened.
Hugunin was transported by the Greene County Ambulance Service to Regional Hospital in Terre Haute for medical treatment. Carpenter said her injuries included fractures to her face and skull. As of Thursday morning, no other information had been released regarding her condition.
Carpenter reported Hugunin’s Jeep went off the west side of the highway for unknown reasons. Once off the roadway, the Jeep continued to travel southbound through tall grass then hit a concrete Duke Energy power pole. The Jeep then started rolling.
There were two witnesses to the crash.
Another view of the damage to Hugunin’s Jeep Wrangler. Photo by Deputy James Carpenter, Courtesy of Greene County Sheriff’s Department
Steven Runyon had been traveling southbound on the highway behind Hugunin and told Indiana State Police Master Trooper Eric Nash that he saw the Jeep go off the roadway and roll over at least three times.
Kevin Zuber was also southbound on the highway, behind Runyon’s vehicle. Zuber said he also saw the Jeep run off the road and roll several times.
Carpenter reported that Hugunin was ejected from the Jeep and witness Runyon found her laying in ankle-deep water. Runyon said she was lying face down in the water and he rolled her over.
In addition to Deputy Carpenter and Trooper Nash, personnel from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, the Greene County Ambulance Service, the Sandborn Fire Department and Skinner Towing also responded to assist on the scene.