Motorcyclist injured in I-65 crash near Seymour

A motorcyclist was seriously injured in a crash last week on Interstate 65 near Seymour.

According to reports from the Indiana State Police, a trooper in southern Bartholomew County noticed a southbound motorcyclist driving erratically on the interstate at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday and alerted troopers who were working to the south.

A trooper tried to stop the vehicle about two miles north of the Seymour exit for the erratic driving and for having a registration violation, but the cyclist sped up and tried to flee. But as he tried to pass a car on the shoulder, hit the vehicle and was thrown from the bike . The motorcycle continued on to hit another vehicle and then caught fire.

The cyclist was identified as 26-year-old Robert Pettry of Franklin County. He suffered traumatic injuries in the crash and Pettry was airlifted to a Louisville-area hospital.

The southbound lanes of the interstate were closed for nearly three hours for crash investigation and cleanup. State Police say the investigation is ongoing and toxicology tests are pending.

Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police