(no subject)
back from key west and had a great time. sadly, i came back to this news on my Friends List. Brandon was SUCH a nice guy, too. *sigh*
Fatal crash like 'explosion'
Impact ripped victim's vehicle into two pieces
By JIMMY NESBITT Courier & Press staff writer 464-7501 or nesbittj@courierpress.com
May 20, 2006
A 23-year-old Realtor who had just made a sale on a home was killed Friday when his car was struck by a utility truck at Indiana 57 and Boonville-Harmony Road, officials reported. Brandon Vukovich of Championship Drive died of internal injuries suffered in the wreck. The utility truck hit the car so hard that a witness described the impact as an "explosion," said Eric Williams, Vanderburgh County chief deputy sheriff. The truck, owned by Indiana Southwestern Railroad Co., was hauling a trailer carrying a backhoe.
Vukovich's blue 2005 Kia Optima, a rental, was torn apart near the back seat into two pieces. The front of the car came to a rest in the road. The rear spun off into the grass.
"With that kind of weight hitting you, it's like getting hit by a freight train," Vanderburgh County Coroner Don Erk said.
Vukovich was hired by FC Tucker in January and had a great career ahead of him, said co-owner Kathy Briscoe. He worked at the Lloyd Avenue office with about 35 Realtors. "They're very upset as you
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would expect anybody in your office to be if you lost someone just so suddenly," Briscoe said. "He was just a nice young man."
The wreck occurred around 12:10 p.m. The driver of the truck, 24-year-old Cody Zimmerman of Petersburg, Ind., was southbound on Indiana 57. Vukovich was eastbound on Boonville-New Harmony. Williams said it appeared the truck's bumper struck the driver's side of the car.
A deputy called for LifeFlight, and a helicopter landed in the intersection while paramedics performed CPR on Vukovich. He was taken by ambulance to St. Mary's Medical Center and pronounced dead at 1:32 p.m. Williams did not know why paramedics used an ambulance when a helicopter already had landed but said the decision may have been based on Vukovich's condition.
Zimmerman was not injured. Erk said Friday's wreck was the third fatality at that intersection this year. The intersection is in the northeastern part of the county, an area that has experienced heavy growth in recent years.
Traffic on Indiana 57 has a yellow flashing light, while drivers on Boonville-New Harmony Road must stop for a flashing red light. Williams said an accident reconstructionist was still investigating whether Vukovich ran the red light. Deputies do not believe alcohol was a factor, but toxicology tests were given to both drivers. Results are pending. An autopsy on Vukovich is scheduled for 8 a.m. today.
Vukovich graduated from the University of Evansville with a degree in music management. He played the oboe and violin for the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. He worked for Liberty Auto, Inc., before joining FC Tucker. Even though he had only worked at the company for around five months, he was highly respected by his peers, Briscoe said. His father, Bill Vukovich, owns River City Recreation.
The Vukovich family could not be reached for comment. They had recently moved and did not have a listed home number. Brandon Vukovich had just sold a home and was either going to see another client or returning to work when he was killed. "He was happy," Briscoe said. "And things were going well for him."
Fatal crash like 'explosion'
Impact ripped victim's vehicle into two pieces
By JIMMY NESBITT Courier & Press staff writer 464-7501 or nesbittj@courierpress.com
May 20, 2006
A 23-year-old Realtor who had just made a sale on a home was killed Friday when his car was struck by a utility truck at Indiana 57 and Boonville-Harmony Road, officials reported. Brandon Vukovich of Championship Drive died of internal injuries suffered in the wreck. The utility truck hit the car so hard that a witness described the impact as an "explosion," said Eric Williams, Vanderburgh County chief deputy sheriff. The truck, owned by Indiana Southwestern Railroad Co., was hauling a trailer carrying a backhoe.
Vukovich's blue 2005 Kia Optima, a rental, was torn apart near the back seat into two pieces. The front of the car came to a rest in the road. The rear spun off into the grass.
"With that kind of weight hitting you, it's like getting hit by a freight train," Vanderburgh County Coroner Don Erk said.
Vukovich was hired by FC Tucker in January and had a great career ahead of him, said co-owner Kathy Briscoe. He worked at the Lloyd Avenue office with about 35 Realtors. "They're very upset as you
Comments (21) | Trackback
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
would expect anybody in your office to be if you lost someone just so suddenly," Briscoe said. "He was just a nice young man."
The wreck occurred around 12:10 p.m. The driver of the truck, 24-year-old Cody Zimmerman of Petersburg, Ind., was southbound on Indiana 57. Vukovich was eastbound on Boonville-New Harmony. Williams said it appeared the truck's bumper struck the driver's side of the car.
A deputy called for LifeFlight, and a helicopter landed in the intersection while paramedics performed CPR on Vukovich. He was taken by ambulance to St. Mary's Medical Center and pronounced dead at 1:32 p.m. Williams did not know why paramedics used an ambulance when a helicopter already had landed but said the decision may have been based on Vukovich's condition.
Zimmerman was not injured. Erk said Friday's wreck was the third fatality at that intersection this year. The intersection is in the northeastern part of the county, an area that has experienced heavy growth in recent years.
Traffic on Indiana 57 has a yellow flashing light, while drivers on Boonville-New Harmony Road must stop for a flashing red light. Williams said an accident reconstructionist was still investigating whether Vukovich ran the red light. Deputies do not believe alcohol was a factor, but toxicology tests were given to both drivers. Results are pending. An autopsy on Vukovich is scheduled for 8 a.m. today.
Vukovich graduated from the University of Evansville with a degree in music management. He played the oboe and violin for the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. He worked for Liberty Auto, Inc., before joining FC Tucker. Even though he had only worked at the company for around five months, he was highly respected by his peers, Briscoe said. His father, Bill Vukovich, owns River City Recreation.
The Vukovich family could not be reached for comment. They had recently moved and did not have a listed home number. Brandon Vukovich had just sold a home and was either going to see another client or returning to work when he was killed. "He was happy," Briscoe said. "And things were going well for him."