Scott County Woman arrested after fatal crash in southern Indiana that killed 1

Crash occurred in July of last year

A Scott County, woman has been charged in connection with a head-on crash last summer that killed one person and injured three others, including herself. 

According to online jail records, 39-year-old Cassandra Daehnke was booked into the Scott County Detention Center on Thursday.

Indiana State Police said the crash took place shortly after 8 p.m. on July 15, 2022, on State Road 3 in Lexington, Indiana, in Scott County. 

According to a probable cause affidavit, Daehnke was driving northbound in a GMC Sierra, when she crossed over into the southbound lanes and hit a Nissan pickup truck that was traveling in the opposite direction.

James Hodge, the driver of the pickup truck, was killed. Three other people were injured, including Daehnke.

Days later, police questioned Daehnke. She allegedly told officers she had been to a tavern in Madison, Indiana, before the crash, and consumed two beers, a shot of tequila and "several Jell-O shots." She said she left the tavern sometime around 7:30 p.m., and was driving the Sierra at the time of the crash.

A blood test showed Daehnke's blood-alcohol level was well beyond the legal limit for driving.

Daehnke was arrested and charged with causing death when operating a vehicle with an ACE of .08 or more, causing death when operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing serious bodily injury when operating while intoxicated with an ACE of .08 or more, causing serious bodily injury when operating while intoxicated, operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person.

She is currently being held in the Scott County Detention Center.