27-year-old man dies due to downed power lines caused by storm

By WRTV Staff

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    DANVILLE, Indiana (WRTV) — A 27-year-old Danville man died on Wednesday night after coming into contact with downed power lines caused by severe storms.

According to the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Hendricks County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to reports of a crash. They found several downed power lines blocking the roadway on County Road 75 W, north of County Road 200 S.

A blue 2007 Dodge pickup truck was discovered on fire, with an unresponsive individual nearby. Due to live power lines, deputies were unable to approach and requested the power company to shut off electricity to the area. Once it was safe, rescue personnel confirmed the driver had died at the scene.

Investigation revealed that the vehicle struck downed power lines while traveling northbound, stopped on the east side of the road, and that the driver, identified as 27-year-old Nathan Merritt of Danville, exited the vehicle and came into contact with the live lines. The investigation is ongoing.

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