SPEEDWAY INCIDENT NEWS RELEASE

Sunday, March 26, 2023

On March 26 th 2023 at approximately 3:15am Brown County Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a vehicle that had crashed through the front entrance of the Speedway Gas Station (279 South Van Buren Street). The caller, which was a Speedway employee, informed dispatch that the vehicle was sitting inside of the store and there was a fire. An officer with the Nashville Police Department and Deputies from the Brown County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene approximately a minute later. The officer with the Nashville Police Department stated that upon his arrival he observed a vehicle sitting inside of the front entrance with extensive damage to the entry-way of the building. He also observed an article of clothing on top of the car which was on fire. While going to the rear of his police vehicle to retrieve a fire extinguisher the Speedway employee was already extinguishing the flames. Officers on scene then entered into the building and informed the employee and a female to exit the building. A Brown County Sheriff Deputy began speaking with the female, which was later identified as the driver of the vehicle. That female’s identity will not be released at this time. A short time later the Nashville Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene and began locating and assisting with shutting off all surrounding utilities including gas lines, water lines, and power.

The Deputy gained information from the female that she was suffering from a mental health crisis and she intentionally started a fire inside of her vehicle, she then backed her vehicle into a fuel pump before driving it through the main entrance of the building. After speaking with Law Enforcement on scene the female agreed to be transported to the hospital on her own accord for a mental health evaluation and treatment. A Brown County Deputy rode with the female in the IU Health Ambulance to a neighboring county hospital. While on the way to the hospital the female informed the Deputy that prior to the accident she had consumed an unknown amount of prescription medication which was prescribed to

her. Later a Affidavit Search Warrant for a Toxicology Test was granted by the Brown County Circuit Court.

After the accident the main focus was to provide the female with the appropriate Mental Health Treatment, however there is still an on going investigation with multiple charges pending.

The Nashville Police Department would like to thank the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Brown County Dispatch, and the Nashville Volunteer Fire Department for their assistance with the incident.