Published: October 07, 2009 10:06 pm         

WTH man dies in Tuesday night accident

For unknown reason, driver lost control of car, police say

TERRE HAUTE — A young West Terre Haute man died in a single-car accident at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday southwest of Terre Haute.

The Vigo County Sheriff’s Department responded to the accident at Morris Place about one-half mile south of Lombardi Drive. They found that a southbound 2005 Chevrolet Impala had gone out of control and struck a utility pole.

Shawn W. Overton, 22, of West Terre Haute, died as a result of injuries he sustained in the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Gary Weber.

Deputy Larry Hopper reported that seat belts were in use, and airbags deployed, but were not effective in preventing injury. The car impacted the utility pole at the driver’s side door.

Unsafe speed was indicated as a contributing factor in the crash, police said. Evidence at the scene shows that, for an unknown reason, the driver lost control of the car and it crossed the road to the east. The car overcorrected onto the road, but skidded clockwise into the utility pole on the west side of the road.

Prairieton firefighters and TransCare ambulance personnel also responded to the scene.