An investigation continues into a two-vehicle crash in West Lafayette on Christmas Day that resulted in serious injuries for one driver and the death of two dogs.
On Dec. 25 just after 4 p.m., the West Lafayette Police Department responded to reports of a head-on collision between two passenger vehicles in the eastbound lanes of Sagamore Parkway and just west of the Wabash River bridge. Upon arrival on the scene, officers reportedly discovered that the driver of the westbound pickup truck lots control of the vehicle for currently unknown reasons and crossed the center median, colliding with the eastbound SUV.
According to police, the driver of the SUV, Christine Carlston, 33, of Noblesville suffered serious injuries and was extracted from the vehicle by members of the West Lafayette Fire Department, eventually being transported to a local hospital for treatment before being transferred to an Indianapolis hospital where she remains in critical but stable condition. The passenger, Jonathan Carlston, 40, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital as well for treatment. The couple’s two dogs were both killed in the collision.
Justin Hulbert, 32, of West Lafayette was identified as the driver of the truck that crossed the median, and he was transported to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries, police say. According to authorities, a blood sample was drawn, but there was no indication that alcohol or substances were involved with the crash.
West Lafayette law enforcement are currently continuing the investigation into the cause of the crash. Community members with information regarding the incident are encouraged to contact the West Lafayette Police Department at 765-775-5200. The department highly encouraged those traveling in the area during the time of the crash to report their account of the crash.
The West Lafayette Police and Fire Departments were assisted by deputies of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department and officers of the Purdue University Police Department on the scene.