DeKalb County, IN-The Indiana State Police is investigating a single vehicle crash that occurred earlier this morning in southeastern DeKalb County that claimed the life of a 27-year-old rural Auburn man. 

According to Senior Trooper Steve Malone, this morning at approximately 9:15 am, a DeKalb County Sheriff Deputy was at a residence in the 5300 block of County Road 51 responding to a call for service.  The Deputy had made personal contact with 27-year-old Casey Allen May through a window before May went into the garage, got into a Jeep and drove through the closed garage door.  As a result, the Jeep collided with the Deputy’s police car before speeding off southbound on County Road 51.

A second DeKalb County Deputy arrived just as the Jeep was heading south and with his emergency lights and siren activated, attempted to catch up to the Jeep.  The Jeep left the west side of the roadway, between County Roads 56 and 60, approximately one mile south of the original residence, struck a tree head-on and caught fire.  May, who was alone at the time, was pronounced dead at the scene by Jeff Warner, the DeKalb County Coroner.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, November 13th, and May’s family has been notified by Warner.  Assisting at the scene were the DeKalb County Sheriff Department, the DeKalb County Coroner, the Spencerville Fire Department and the Concord Township Fire Department.