A man died after a motorcycle crash Wednesday night in Springville, Indiana, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The man has been identified as 29-year-old Jesse Demshar of Bloomington, Indiana, according to Monroe County Coroner Joani Stalcup.
“An autopsy has been scheduled in Terre Haute for tomorrow, 10/14 at 0800hrs to determine cause of death,” said Stalup in response to an e-mail inquiry from the Bloomingtonian.
The motorcycle rider was discovered in a ravine by an REMC worker after the cyclist hit a guy wire supporting a utility pole Wednesday night, according to the MCSO. The motorcycle was partially on the rider, and the headlight was still illuminated.
The motorcyclist was the only person involved in the collision.
The MCSO released the following to the Bloomingtonian:
“Second and Third Shift Deputies responded to the 6900 Block of West Popcorn Road in Springville, Monroe County at approximately 10:00 PM to reports of an unresponsive male laying in a roadside ditch near a crashed motorcycle. The male was located by Linemen from the Utilities District of Western Indiana (REMC) that were in the area investigating the cause of a power outage reported to their company at approximately 8:30 PM. REMC Linemen arrived to Popcorn Road at approximately 10:00 PM and located a downed power line between two poles and observed a backpack along the shoulder of the roadway. Upon approaching the bag they observed the unresponsive male approximately 20 feet further down into a ditch with a motorcycle laying partially on top of him. The motorcycle’s headlight was still illuminated when the Linemen made the discovery.
The initial investigation indicates the motorcycle was traveling southwest down a steep grade and failed to navigate the sweeping right turn to continue traveling west and collided with a steel guy wire supporting the utility pole causing the pole to vibrate and the wire to come loose. The motorcycle is believed to have flipped forward end-over-end and propelled the rider off the motorcycle and into the ditch head-first. The motorcycle appears to have then landed partially on top of the rider.
The operator, and only occupant, has been identified as a 29 year old male from of Bloomington, Indiana from the motorcycle’s registration and identification card located on his person.
The Monroe County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene to transport the male and has made notification to next-of-kin.”
