Driver of combine may be to blame for triple-fatality crash

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - There's new information about a Tippecanoe County crash killing three people. Investigators believe the driver of a combine may be to blame.

The combine collided with a minivan around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. The crash happened as State Road 25 and County Road 800 South in Tippecanoe County.

Tippecanoe County Sheriff's deputies said six people were in a minivan traveling north on 25 and the driver of a combine was traveling west on 800 South when they crashed.

"Witnesses did say that the combine apparently did not come to a complete stop at a stop sign that he had on 800. Apparently, he rolled through the stop and he claimed that he did not see the minivan and they collided in the intersection," said Deputy Randy Martin.

As a result, three people in the van were killed while the other three people were rushed hospitals.

Those three people were 62-year-old Daniel Fox, 40-year-old Stacy Fox and 15-year-old Demara Fox of Attica, Ind. The other three passengers in the car (17-year-old Demetria Fox, 13-year-old Dakota Fox and 18-year-old Margaret Carpenter of Attica) were transported to Riley Children's Hospital and IU Health Arnett Hospital.

The driver of the combine was not injured. Martin said that driver did not seem to be impaired but his blood was still taken for tests.

"It's still pending investigation. As soon as we find out all the details for sure, more legal action may be taken from that point on," said Martin.

Martin said crashes involving farm equipment don't happen very often but when they do, they are usually serious. He said all drivers need to be cautious to avoid wrecks like this from happening.

"Just because they're big doesn't mean that they can see you as well as you can see them. Just use common sense. Make sure that you're aware of your surrounding and you see who's around you, where they're coming from," said Martin.

The Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police and the West Point Fire Department all responded to the crash. State Road 25 was shut down for about two and half hours while the scene was investigated and pieces of the dismantled minivan where cleaned up.

The Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office identified the driver of the combine as 36-year-old Carl McFarland of West Point, Ind. He was arrested and taken to the Clinton County Jail. Clinton County deputies said McFarland was arrested for a previous warrant for criminal mischief and writ for contempt of court. McFarland was released after posting a bond of $800.