73-Year-Old Upland Man Dies After Medical Emergency Leads to Crash in Grant County

GRANT COUNTY, Ind. (WOWO): A 73-year-old man from Upland died Monday morning after a single-vehicle crash that authorities believe was caused by a medical emergency prior to impact.

According to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers with Grant County 911 Emergency Dispatch received a call at approximately 10:38 a.m. on May 4 reporting a vehicle that had struck a utility pole near the intersection of 11120 South and 1100 East in rural Grant County.

Deputies arrived on scene to find the driver, identified as John M. Walters, unresponsive inside the vehicle. First responders immediately began performing CPR in an effort to save his life. Lifesaving measures continued for several minutes while crews awaited the arrival of an air medical helicopter.

Despite those efforts, Walters was pronounced dead at 11:38 a.m. at the scene.

Authorities said the vehicle, a 2015 Chevrolet, sustained only minimal damage from the collision, and there was no significant damage to the passenger compartment. Based on those findings, investigators believe Walters may have suffered a medical issue prior to the crash, leading to the incident.

The Grant County Coroner’s Office, led by Stephen Dorsey, is conducting the death investigation. Deputies continued documenting the crash scene, and next of kin have been notified.

Multiple agencies assisted at the scene, including Indiana State Police, the Matthews Fire Department, Upland Fire Department, Grant County Emergency Medical Service, Marion Health Paramedics, Grant County Central Dispatch, and the Lutheran Hospital Air Medical Helicopter.

In a statement, Sheriff Garcia and his staff extended their condolences to Walters’ family and friends, while also recognizing the efforts of first responders who worked to provide lifesaving care at the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing.