A two-mile section of SR 44 between Rushville and Glenwood was closed shortly after 7 p.m. Friday following a two-vehicle accident that involved serious injury.

According to investigating officer deputy Doug Keith of the Rush County Sheriff’s Department, there were no witnesses to the violent collision; however, a number of motorists came upon the crash scene shortly after it occurred.

The first responding unit was Rush County reserve deputy Alan Rice.

Rice found a black Ford pickup truck in the roadway in the 7200 block of East SR 44 and a Ford Thunderbird in a field, later found to be owned by Chaney Pike, north of the state road with the driver still inside the vehicle.

William D. Dawson Jr., 34, of Connersville, was identified as the driver of the Ford pickup.

After coming to a stop, Dawson removed himself from his vehicle and went to the aid of the driver of the westbound vehicle.

The investigation found that Dawson had been eastbound when for unknown reasons his 2003 Ford F150 pickup crossed the centerline and struck a westbound vehicle driven by John E. Gilley, 33, also of Connersville.

The force of the impact caused Gilley’s Thunderbird to leave the north side of the state road, trapping the driver inside, while Dawson’s truck traveled nearly the length of a football field before coming to a stop partially straddling the centerline in the west bound lane.

Due to the severity of Gilley’s injuries responders requested that Air Evac be dispatched to the accident scene while medical personnel and other responders began tending to the driver’s immediate needs and removed him from the damaged vehicle.

“The truck struck the Thunderbird in the driver’s side door. The impact caused the door to be torn from the vehicle, exposing the driver as the vehicle then slid off the road. The force of the collision caused the car to enter a ditch, go up a slight incline and through a fence before coming to a rest,” Keith said.

The deputy continued by saying that during the early stages of the investigation it was unknown what caused Dawson’s vehicle to cross the centerline.

“The driver of the Thunderbird obviously saw the truck coming into his path of travel and took evasive action prior to impact. Indications are that he did everything in his power to get out of the way and he nearly made it, but a guardrail on the north side of the road kept him from getting over any further prior to being struck,” Keith said.

Gilley suffered what were described as multiple injuries; following treatment at the scene by medical personnel from RMH Ambulance he was airlifted to an Indianapolis trauma center.

It was learned Sunday that he was still listed in critical condition although the full extent of his injuries remained unknown at press time.

Assisting at the scene were units from the RCSD, Glenwood Volunteer fire Department, Indiana State Police, RMH Ambulance Service, Air Evac and Davis Towing.