By HOLLY GASKILL
An official report has indicated speeding as the primary cause of the recent deadly crash in the Wabash River.
The report, released Monday, stated the 1999 Ford Ranger appears to have been traveling eastbound on River Road in rainy conditions before it lost control and left the roadway. The vehicle then hit a culvert and several fence posts before returning to the road, possibly traveling sideways, and went into the river near the White Bridge. A “swirl” in the river appeared to be the size of a small pickup truck.
Driver Branden Beer, 19, Geneva, had been last seen at Hardee’s in Bluffton on April 30. He was reported missing in Adams County on May 3. The same day, the Wells County Sheriff’s Office received notice of a possible vehicle in the river. The crash report states the driver’s mother had found tire tracks appearing to have gone off-road and into the river west of CR 450E.
Indiana Conservation Officers ultimately recovered the vehicle, which had settled into a deep indentation with a fast-moving river current running through it.
The crash report states the vehicle appeared to have rolled at least once and retained heavy damage to the roof. The windshield was shattered, and the driver’s side window was completely missing.
Searchers could not find Beer in a search of the surrounding areas on May 3 and 4. The report says it appeared Beer did not have his seat belt on at the time of the crash.
The vehicle itself contained Walmart bags and products, Hardee’s food wrappers, multiple cans of air duster, and Beer’s personal effects, including his wallet and phone. Detective Quinton Greer stated in the report he had known Beer to have a drug problem from previous interactions.
ICO discovered Beer’s body eight days later near Rose Road and CR 100E, approximately six miles down river from the crash site. No other physical evidence was located.
The Northeast Indiana Forensic Center positively identified the body on May 15. The autopsy showed no major injuries or signs of trauma; toxicology results are pending.
holly@news-banner.com
