INDIANAPOLIS – Two people killed in a crash that happened on I-70 Tuesday night were Ben Davis High School students.
Sgt. John Perrine with Indiana State Police said 18-year-old Brandon Gross was pronounced dead at the scene. A few hours later, 17-year-old Taylor Parsons also died as a result of her injuries, police said.
Officials with Wayne Township schools said grief counseling is available for students and staff at Ben Davis. They released this statement:
"MSD of Wayne Township is heartbroken over the loss of two Ben Davis High School students in a fatal accident Tuesday night. This loss will be felt by our entire community."
The other three victims of the crash have been identified as Kristopher Church, 17, Michael Blackmore, 19, and Olivia Evans, 18. School officials say Evans attends Ben Davis, and Church and Blackmore are former Ben Davis students.
State Police say Church is in critical condition at Eskenazi Hospital, and Blackmore and Evans are both stable at Methodist Hospital.
The crash happened on I-70 near Harding Street around 9:15 p.m. All five victims were ejected from the vehicle and they were not wearing seatbelts during the time of the crash, investigators said.
Each time I return home from a fatal crash I hug my family a little tighter
Two young lives were lost last night ?
Please #BuckleUp
— Sgt. John Perrine (@ISPIndianapolis) April 19, 2017
Detectives believe their 2002 Nissan Pathfinder was moving too fast in the left lane of eastbound I-70 when the driver crossed three lanes in an attempt to exit at Harding Street.
The vehicle slid into the grass and rolled several times, investigators said.
Police are also looking at the possibility of another vehicle in the area, allegedly chasing the Nissan Pathfinder after an incident at a nearby park.
"He was a really happy guy and he made everyone else around him extremely happy," said Hunter Mills, Gross' friend. "He was a funny guy. We always talked about joining the marine corps, that was his biggest dream and aspiration was to join the marine corps."
Friends shared this picture of Brandon Gross, Ben Davis H.S. student killed in rollover crash last night @rtv6 pic.twitter.com/Q4Bnu24NRF
— Mike Pelton (@MikePeltonRTV6) April 19, 2017
Indiana State Police said the investigation is ongoing.
