Interstate 65 crash claims one life on Saturday

A Saturday afternoon crash on Interstate 65 near Columbus left one driver dead and the driver and passenger in a second vehicle injured.

Columbus police are reporting that the driver of a car was backing up in the left northbound lane of the interstate just south of Columbus at about 4:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon. It appeared the driver may have been trying to reach a crossover between the north and southbound lanes.

An SUV struck the rear of the car and that vehicle burst into flames, according to police.

The driver of the SUV, 31-year-old Vanessa Rosborough, of Indianapolis was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital with non life threatening injuries. Rosborough’s passenger, 28-year-old Emily McNiff, of Fishers, was flown to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment.

The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene by the Bartholomew County Coroner’s office. The name of the driver has not yet been confirmed, Deputy Coroner Jay Frederick confirmed this morning. That confirmation is expected within the next few days. One of the registered owners of the vehicle is listed as Kayze Gilstrap of Bedford, but she has not been confirmed as the victim, Frederick said.

The crash remains under investigation by Columbus police accident reconstructionists.

The northbound lanes of Interstate 65 were closed from Walesboro to Columbus for about 3 and a half hours.