Fatal Crash in the Backup of another Crash in Scott County

On I-65 between Scottsburg and Henryville

Yesterday afternoon at approximately 4:48 pm, traffic on Interstate #65 North at the 24.0 Mile Marker was stop and go from a crash that had occurred earlier in the day in Jackson County with traffic being backed up for nearly 15 miles.

The driver of a 1999 Chevrolet Pickup truck, Luis J. Perez, 38, from Austin, IN, stated he was north bound in the left lane at approximately 70 miles per hour when he took his eyes off the roadway to light a cigarette. He stated he looked back at the roadway and saw a black 2015 Lexus being driven by Lloyd D. Huffman, 72, of Corsicana, Texas, stopped in front of him. He stated he tried to avoid the collision but was unable to and crashed into the rear of the Lexus. The collision pushed the 2015 Lexus into a 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander being driven by James Eaton, 57, from Normal, Illinois, that was also stopped in traffic in front of the other two vehicles.

The driver of the Chevrolet pickup truck, Luis Perez, was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, KY, with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the 2015 Lexus, Lloyd Huffman, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Scott County Coroner’s Office and the driver of the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander, James Eaton, was not injured.

Indiana State Police Crash Reconstructionist investigated the crash and all involved in the crash were wearing seat belts.