Indianapolis, In- Thursday morning, January 3rd, at 6:18 a.m., Indiana State Police responded to the report of utility wires down across EB and WB I-70 at the 88.7mm. (Shadeland Avenue/I-465 ramps) Troopers also located utility wires across the ramp to I-465 from EB I-70. Troopers closed east and west bound I-70 and the ramp while utility crews were summoned to make the necessary repairs.

During this time, troopers learned that the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was on the scene of a single vehicle fatal crash on Shadeland Avenue under I-70. The crash involved utility wires and a severed utility pole.

Ultimately, officers learned that the downed utility wires were the result of the fatal crash and that the incident had began on EB I-70.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 1992 Ford Probe was EB on I-70 over Shadeland Avenue at a high rate of speed. The vehicle went off the right side of the roadway, over the concrete wall of I-70, severed a utility pole, struck the concrete wall of the I-465 ramp and landed on Shadeland Avenue approximately twenty feet below I-70. The vehicle came to rest against the concrete dividing wall of north and south bound Shadeland Avenue.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim as Charles Wayne Barker, 58, of Indianapolis. The family has been notified.

Investigating Officer: Trooper Ginger Marshall, Sergeant Kay McNeely and Senior Trooper Kurt Steinkamp, Indiana State Police

Assisting Agencies: Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Indianapolis Fire Department, Marion County Coroner’s Office.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law

Register with Nixle.com to receive news releases and other information from the Indiana State Police

Follow ISP on Twitter and get breaking news from ISP as it’s sent to media: https://twitter.com/Indstatepolice

For updates about ISP activities ‘friend’ our Face book site at: Indiana State Police Public-Information-Office.