Nathan Merritt Obituary, Death News – On Wednesday night, around 9:30 p.m., the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department responded to a crash near the intersection of County Road 75 West and County Road 200 South. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found a blue pickup truck on fire with a man lying unresponsive on the ground beside it. However, due to the severe weather, including a tornado earlier that evening, multiple downed power lines were strewn across the roadway, making it unsafe for emergency responders to immediately approach the scene.
Once the power was shut off to ensure the safety of those on the ground, emergency medics were able to assess the situation. They pronounced the man dead at the scene. The victim was identified as 27-year-old Nathan Merritt from Danville.
According to investigators, Merritt was likely driving north when his pickup truck struck a downed power line and came to a stop. After the impact, Merritt exited the vehicle, and tragically, he was electrocuted after coming into contact with live power lines.
At the time of the investigation, no other fatalities had been reported as a result of the storm, though the severe weather caused widespread damage across the area. Authorities are continuing to look into the details of the crash, and the circumstances that led to Merritt’s tragic death. The storm’s impact has left a trail of destruction, but Merritt’s unfortunate accident serves as a reminder of the hazards posed by downed power lines during severe weather events.
