Docs: Marine involved in crash that killed Fishers kindergarten teacher
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Marine was arrested Monday after being involved in a July crash that killed a Fishers kindergarten teacher and her husband, according to court papers.
Jaime Heredia, 30, is charged with two counts of reckless homicide.
On July 11 just before 1 p.m., Lawrence Police Department officers were sent to the 8300 block of East 56th Street on reports of a personal injury crash. That’s on the city’s northeast side.
Upon arrival, officers found Grant Lansdell, 56, and Ashley Lansdell, 51, unconscious and trapped in a car.
Officers also saw Heredia standing next to his wrecked government-issued black Ford Focus, according to court docs.
Ashley and Grant Lansdell were sent to a local hospital. Grant Lansdell died when he arrived at the hospital. Ashley died two weeks later due to injuries she got while in the crash, according to court papers. Ashley taught at Fall Creek Elementary School.
Investigators say Heredia was driving 78 mph right before the crash. The speed limit was 40 mph.
Just after the crash, Heredia told investigators he was returning from a physical therapy session for a hip injury.
Heredia told investigators he had consumed a 20-ounce Corona beer earlier that morning and was taking opiates after being prescribed them for his injury. That prescription ended a few weeks prior to the accident, though.
Investigators believe the use of pain medication may have been a factor in the crash, court papers say.
According to court docs, Heredia was concerned that “he may test positive for the opiates although he was supposed to discontinue taking the narcotics on June 24th, 2022.”
Heredia refused to take a chemical test at the scene. He called a corporal with the Marine Corps Indianapolis recruiting office. The corporal came to the scene of the crash and Heredia asked him to take a bag of trash back to the office.
Later that day, the corporal looked inside of the bag and found “three drink boxes that contained alcohol at some point but were empty, and also a hydra Flask which had an unknown fluid in it,” according to court papers.
Heredia had previously signed a statement of understanding saying he would not speed, smoke, or drink while driving a Marine Corps car.
Heredia was taken to a local hospital where his blood was drawn. Blood test results revealed he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.074. In Indiana, it is illegal to drive with a level over 0.08.
Heredia is at the Marion County Jail with a cash bond of $30,000. A pretrial conference is set for March 26.
