Update: All U.S. 31 lanes have re-opened.
HAMILTON COUNTY — A deadly crash on U.S. 31 in northern Hamilton County closed the highway southbound and one lane northbound Thursday morning.
The crash was reported just around 4:45 a.m. on U.S. 31 between 246th and 256th streets near the Hamilton and Tipton county line.
According to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, the crash began when a Kia Optima car struck a deer in the roadway on US 31. The Optima left the roadway after hitting the deer and traveled down the embankment. The car later re-entered the roadway and stopped in the outside lane.
Officials said after an undetermined period of time, the Kia and its driver, who is believed to be standing outside of the car at the time of the incident, was hit by a Vovlo semi-truck traveling southbound.
The driver of the SUV is deceased. The driver of the semi-truck is uninjured and is fully cooperating with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Crash Team.
The Hamilton County Coroner's Office is working to identify the driver of the Kia.
U.S. 31 southbound is closed, and traffic is being diverted to SR-28. Drivers are asked to take eastbound SR-28 to southbound SR-19 in Tipton, then westbound on 236th Street to SB-31.
The crash is just north of downtown Westfield.
Northbound lanes are also being impacted due to the crash. One lane of traffic was reported closed as crews investigate and clean up the crash. At 7 a.m., crews reported the northbound lane is expected to reopen in the next hour. No indication of a timeline for the reopening of southbound lanes on U.S. 31.
This incident remains under active investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.
