Driver, pedestrian die in separate crashes an hour apart in Indianapolis, police say

INDIANAPOLIS — A driver and a pedestrian died Monday afternoon in two separate crashes within approximately one hour of each other, police say.

The first crash happened on the city's south side and involved a man who died after he swerved to avoid another vehicle that changed lanes in front of him, police say.

Indianapolis metro police responded about 3 p.m. to the 2100 block of Madison Avenue, near East Raymond Street, for a report of a crash, according to IMPD Officer Samone Burris.

There, officers found the man unresponsive in a Chevy SUV in a center median.

The man was later pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as Thomas Hix, 47, according to the Marion County Coroner's Office.

An investigation found Hix was driving south in a center lane on Madison Avenue when another driver to his left suddenly switched lanes in front of him, causing the man to swerve right.

Afterward, Hix struck a west curb, crossed all southbound lanes, jumped a center median, then crossed all northbound lanes. He then struck an east curb, crashed into a wall, then crossed all northbound lanes again before his vehicle came to a rest in the center median.

Another crash about an hour later led to a pedestrian's death on the city's far north side, in or near the Watson-McCord neighborhood.

Officers responded about 4 p.m. to the 600 block of East 38th Street for a report of a pedestrian struck. It was there they found a man in the left eastbound lane of East 38th Street, Burris said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. He was later identified as Samuel Brown III, 59, the coroner's office said.

The driver who hit Brown stayed at the scene and was taken to IU Methodist Health Hospital to be treated for their injuries and to have blood drawn. This is standard procedure for a crash that involves serious injury or death, Burris said.

Burris said police also responded to a crash that left a motorcyclist seriously injured Monday evening in the Near Northside neighborhood.

Officers responded about 7:30 p.m. to the 1400 block of South Madison Avenue for a report of a crash. There, they found the operator, a male, lying in the southbound lanes of Madison Avenue and his bike in the northbound lanes, Burris said

The motorcyclist was transported to Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition.

Police haven't released additional details of that crash.

Burris said none of the crashes are being investigated as hit-and-runs.