‘Tragic event’: Indiana sheriff’s deputy struck and killed while helping stranded motorist

A sheriff’s deputy in Indiana was fatally struck by a truck while helping a motorist stranded on an interstate, according to local officials.

“This is a heartbreaking loss for our law enforcement family and the entire Delaware County community,” Jeff Stanley, chief deputy of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, said in a statement Wednesday.

The tragedy occurred in the early morning hours of Wednesday, after officials received calls at approximately 3:30 a.m. of a disabled vehicle along Interstate 69, officials said.

A Delaware County sheriff’s deputy, identified as Corporal Blake Reynolds, responded to the scene and found a truck partially in the road, authorities said.

The trooper stopped behind the disabled vehicle to “provide protection to the driver” and activated his emergency lights, Indiana State Police Sgt. Scott Keegan said during a press conference Wednesday.

While Reynolds was out of his vehicle, another truck traveling north “lost control and collided with the officer’s vehicle and the disabled truck on the side of the road,” Keegan said, calling the accident a “tragic event.”

“Despite immediate emergency response efforts, the officer did not survive his injuries,” Stanley said.

The driver who hit Reynolds was transported to a local hospital and was undergoing surgery, but Keegan said his medical condition is unknown at this time.

Sheriff’s officials said no further details about the crash will be provided at this time “out of respect for the ongoing investigation and the family’s privacy.”

Reynolds joined the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office in 2022 and “quickly distinguished himself through his hard work, professionalism and leadership,” the sheriff’s office said. said in a statement.

“His passing is an immeasurable loss to his family, his brothers and sisters in uniform, and the entire community he proudly served,” Stanley said.