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LODD: Volunteer firefighter killed at crash scene by another firefighter

Kendall Murphy died after being “run over” by Colby Blake, who was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol

By Megan Erbacher
Evansville Courier & Press

DAVIESS COUNTY, Ind. — A volunteer firefighter was killed at the scene of a crash Friday night after being “run over” by another responding firefighter who was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

Colby Blake, 26, of Cannelburg was arrested Friday and preliminarily charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing death, and reckless driving.

At 9:55 p.m. Friday, Daviess County Sheriff’s Department deputies and three firefighters responded to a crash with injuries along Old Highway 50, just west of County Road 800 East, according to an Indiana State Police news release. The firefighters, from the Montgomery and Cannelburg fire departments, arrived on scene in their personal vehicles.

Blake was the fourth firefighter to respond to the crash, according to officials. He was traveling east in his 2006 Dodge Ram truck when he struck the rear of another Dodge Ram truck parked by a firefighter along the south side of the road, officials stated. Blake’s truck continued east, and struck a 2013 Ford Fusion parked by Kendall Murphy, 27, of Montgomery.

Blake crashed into a third vehicle, driven by another firefighter, before coming to a stop.

Murphy was a responding firefighter. He was standing outside of his truck when he was hit by Blake, officials said.

Murphy suffered “numerous injuries” after being hit, the release said, and he was pronounced dead at the scene by the Daviess County Coroner.

Blake was uninjured in the crash, according to state police, but had a blood alcohol level of 0.21 percent.

Blake was taken to the Daviess County jail.

This crash is under investigation by Indiana State Police Trooper Josh Greer, Master Trooper Randy Huddleston, Trooper Ross Johnson and Trooper Nathanial Kern.

Copyright 2017 Evansville Courier & Press

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