Witness of fatal crash says she tried to save the victim
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – A Lafayette woman is dead after her car collided with a dump truck Wednesday morning. Police are wrapping up their investigation, but one witness said it’s a scene she’ll never forget.
“When the dump truck hit the building, it sounded like a bomb,” said witness Michele Nicholson.
However, it’s the crash that came before a dump truck slammed into the side of Popp-A-Top Beer, Wine and Food Wednesday morning. Nicholson said she was driving on Schuyler Avenue, something that’s part of her daily morning routine. But just before 9:30 a.m., Nicholson said she saw something she’ll never forget.
“White car came out from 18th and just flew right across Schuyler,” said Nicholson. “The dump truck hit her on the driver’s side, and he ended up in the building and she ended up in the grass.”
Police said 80-year-old Melba Samuels was headed north on 18th Street and disregarded a stop sign. A dump truck, which was headed east on Schuyler Avenue, collided with the car. The crash caused the dump truck to slam into the side of the business.
Nicholson said she immediately stopped and tried to help Samuels.
“I tried to help her,” said Nicholson. “I tried to get in the vehicle from the driver’s side and she was pinned. So I pried the passenger’s side open and climbed in. There wasn’t anything I could do.”
Samuels was pronounced dead at the scene by the Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office.
The driver of the dump truck sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Although Nicholson said the dump truck driver had no way of preventing the crash, she said she’ll never see the intersection the same way.
“I keep seeing her pinned in the car,” said Nicholson. “I’ll probably never forget when I come past here, and I come past here probably once a day.”
Police do not believe drugs or alcohol to be a factor in the crash.
Due to the condition of the building, Schuyler Avenue between 18th and 19th and N. 18th Street between Schuyler and Monon avenues will be closed until further notice.