Passenger Killed in I-65 Van Rollover After Trailer Detaches Near Frankfort in Clinton County, Indiana

Just before 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, 2026, Indiana State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash on northbound Interstate 65 near the 157 mile marker in Clinton County. The location is near State Road 28, west of Frankfort. According to the preliminary investigation, a 2012 Chevrolet Express van was traveling north in the right lane while towing a trailer. The trailer is believed to have come loose from the van, which then left the roadway, went into the ditch on the east side of the interstate, rolled, and came to rest on its side. Investigators believe a passenger in the van was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle. The Clinton County Coroner's Office pronounced the passenger dead at the scene, and the coroner will release the passenger's identity after family members have been notified. The driver, Alfredo Hernandez Manuel, 27, of Indianapolis, was not injured. Indiana State Police were assisted at the scene by the Clinton County Sheriff's Office, Frankfort Police Department, Clinton County Coroner's Office, Colfax Fire Department, and Clinton County EMS. The crash remains under investigation by the Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Team. Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the passenger who lost their life.

Location and Infrastructure

Interstate 65 is one of Indiana's primary north-south corridors, linking Indianapolis with Lafayette, northwest Indiana, and the Chicago region. In Clinton County, the interstate runs through largely rural, open farmland west of the county seat of Frankfort, with State Road 28 providing the main interchange access to Frankfort and surrounding communities. This stretch carries a steady mix of commuter vehicles, commercial trucks, and passenger vehicles towing trailers and campers, particularly during early-morning hours when freight and work traffic are moving. The northbound lanes are separated from the southbound lanes by a grassy median and bordered by drainage ditches along the outer shoulders, which can become a hazard when a vehicle leaves the paved roadway at highway speed. Traffic is governed by posted interstate speed limits, lane markings, and roadside signage, and the route is monitored by Indiana State Police patrols.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Indiana is an at-fault state for auto insurance, meaning the party found responsible for a crash and that party's insurer may be liable for resulting damages. Indiana requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. Indiana follows a modified comparative fault system, under which a claimant's recovery may be reduced by their percentage of fault and barred if that fault exceeds 50 percent. Indiana law also requires all vehicle occupants to wear seat belts, though state law limits how seat belt use may be considered in civil claims. Personal injury and wrongful death claims in Indiana are generally subject to a two-year statute of limitations. Depending on the circumstances, families may pursue compensation for funeral and burial expenses, medical costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship, subject to the rules of Indiana's wrongful death statutes.

Related Resources

Local Emergency Services

• Emergency: 911
• Indiana State Police – Lafayette Post: in.gov/isp
• Clinton County Sheriff's Office
• Frankfort Police Department
• Clinton County Coroner's Office
• Colfax Fire Department
• Clinton County EMS

Traffic Safety Resources

• Indiana Department of Transportation (road conditions and travel information): in.gov/indot
• Indiana Criminal Justice Institute – Traffic Safety Division: in.gov/cji
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (seat belt and towing safety): nhtsa.gov

Support Services for Accident Victims and Families

• Indiana 211 (connection to local grief counseling, financial assistance, and community services): Dial 211 or visit in211.org
• The Compassionate Friends (support for families after the death of a loved one): compassionatefriends.org
• Indiana Department of Insurance (consumer assistance with auto insurance claims): in.gov/idoi

Indiana Traffic Laws and Regulations

• Indiana Code (including Title 9 motor vehicle laws): iga.in.gov
• Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles: in.gov/bmv
• Crash report requests through Indiana State Police: in.gov/isp