Official Police Report Released in Fatal SR 37 & 29th Street Multi-Vehicle Crash

The Bedford Police Department has released official investigative details regarding the severe three-vehicle collision at the intersection of State Road 37 and 29th Street on Saturday afternoon, July 25th.

Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene at approximately 3:58 p.m. Upon arrival, Officer Landon Jones located three damaged vehicles: a blue 2022 Kia Forte with heavy rear-end damage in the middle of the intersection, a black 2000 Chevrolet Silverado with heavy front-end damage, and a gray 2021 Honda Accord parked on the west shoulder.

Here is the breakdown of the victims, driver statements, and the ongoing investigation:

Casualties & Medical Status

• Fatal Injury: The male passenger of the Kia Forte, identified as Randy C. Tarr, was unresponsive at the scene. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him deceased, and he was taken into the care of Lawrence County Coroner.
• Critical Injury: The driver of the Kia Forte, Timber R. Tarr, was found unconscious with agonal breathing. Bedford Fire Department personnel extracted her from the vehicle, and IU Health EMS transported her to IU Health Bloomington for treatment of a brain bleed and additional severe injuries. She remains in critical condition.
• Silverado Driver: Identified as Carey T. Christie, he reported pain and bleeding around his nose and was transported to IU Health Bedford for treatment.
• Honda Driver: Identified as Kanitta Sodachan, she suffered minor seatbelt-related injuries and was evaluated by medical staff.

Crash Sequence & Conflicting Statements

According to witness accounts and police records, Sodachan’s Honda Accord was stopped at a red light in the southbound lane when the collision occurred.

1. Initial Statement (July 25): Christie told Major Swanson he was traveling south on SR 37 and failed to notice stopped traffic due to sun glare. He applied his brakes, striking the rear of the Tarrs' Kia Forte, which was then forced into Sodachan's Honda. Christie admitted to consuming one beer at a funeral shortly before driving. He consented to an Indiana Implied Consent blood draw, and two vials were sent to the Indiana State Department of Toxicology for analysis.
2. Follow-Up Statement (July 26): In a secondary interview, Christie offered a different account, claiming he changed lanes to avoid rain/mist spray from a semi-truck in the right lane, obstructing his vision. However, investigating officers noted that weather conditions were dry with no rain at the time of the crash.

Reconstruction & Technical Investigation

• Black Box Scan: Attempts to scan the "black box" event data recorder on Christie’s Chevrolet Silverado yielded inconclusive results, and vehicle speed at impact could not be determined from the module.
• ISP Drone Mapping: Trooper Matt Holley of the Indiana State Police assisted local officers by conducting a full crash reconstruction using aerial drone mapping on July 26.
• Vehicles Impounded: All three vehicles were towed by Bland's Wrecker Service and remain on investigative hold.

The investigation remains active with the Bedford Police Department pending official state toxicology analysis results.