By Brandi Watters, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer
ALEXANDRIA — An Anderson man was life-lined to an Indianapolis hospital Wednesday evening after rolling his car along Indiana 9 near Alexandria.
According to Madison County Sheriff Ron Richardson, the crash victim was identified as 63-year-old Steve Wiesenaur of Anderson.
A reporter for The Herald Bulletin was traveling northbound on State Road 9 near County Road 600 North behind Wiesenaur and witnessed the accident.
Wiesenaur, driving a purple sedan, was seen swerving back and forth on northbound Indiana 9 when his right front tire blew out and shredded to pieces on the roadway.
Wiesenaur left the roadway briefly and drove along the eastern shoulder but returned to the roadway and drove for another mile on the rim of the wheel, swerving back and forth as vehicles behind him slowed to avoid a crash.
After leaving the road and returning at least once more, Wiesenaur’s purple sedan plunged into a ditch on the east side of State Road 9 North and slammed into a raised driveway that cut through the ditch.
The purple sedan flipped into the air upon hitting the bank of the driveway and flew over the ditch, landing on its side with Wiesenaur trapped inside.
Frankton resident Sallie Brown was traveling northbound on Indiana 9 when she saw the vehicle’s tire explode south of 600 North.
“I saw the tire blew and I saw stuff flying,” she said. “I was on the phone with 911 when I saw him wreck.”
Barnes was one of a half dozen witnesses who pulled over to try and help Wiesenaur after witnessing the crash.
Tim Adams was on his way home to Marion when he saw Wiesenaur’s car swerving in the roadway moments before the crash.
Trying to keep other vehicles from getting near the out-of-control vehicle, Adams pulled alongside another vehicle that was using hazard lights to slow traffic traveling behind Wiesenaur. The two vehicles were able to keep traffic at a safe distance from the motorist.
Richland Township firefighters arrived on scene and realized that Wiesenaur was trapped inside the vehicle and would need to be extricated.
Firefighters cut the roof from the vehicle and found Wiesenaur to be responsive at the scene, according to Richland Township Fire Chief Brian Frank.
Although it was yet undetermined what caused Wiesenaur’s erratic driving, Frank said the motorist seemed to have an “altered state of consciousness.”
After being rescued from the vehicle, Wiesenaur was taken by PHI helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital.
Contact Brandi Watters 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com
