Published January 07, 2009 09:12 pm - ANDERSON — An Anderson woman was driving and receiving text messages on her cell phone shortly before a crash on I-69 that killed her, Indiana State Police said Wednesday.

Driver on cell phone before fatal crash


The Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — An Anderson woman was driving and receiving text messages on her cell phone shortly before a crash on I-69 that killed her, Indiana State Police said Wednesday.

Sarah L. Woodruff, 20 and a Ball State University student, died Sunday near the 17-mile marker when she lost control of her 1999 Mercedes and drove into the median. The car flipped six times and came to rest upside down, police said. There was no evidence of tire failure, the report said. Woodruff, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car.

State Police Detective Robert A. May reported that a review of her cell phone indicated she was receiving texts at 12:48 p.m. The crash was reported to state police at 12:51 p.m. The road was dry.

May noted that the cause of the crash was driver inattention caused by cell phone texting and Woodruff overcorrecting the car after leaving the roadway.

I ignore text messages, I think they are stupid, if you want to talk to me call me on the phone..jmo

TEXTING AND DRIVING SHOULD BE OUT LAWED JUST AS BAD AS DRINKING AND DRIVING.................

I am in insurance and have seen the results of a two vehicle accident that occurred due to texting...she was running at 80 on the interstate and I am so surprised that the other driver could even be identified. So sad that things like this happen and I cannot imagine why people don't think. This is just as deadly as drinking and driving in my opinion

Actually, they did a study that texting while driving impairs you MORE than Drunk driving. Pretty scary huh?

Very scary....and sad to say, it takes something like this to wake people up, unfortunately, only those close to her will be affected

Texting has it's place and time, but not while driving, especially while on the road with me. It is kinds of like reading the paper or a book while driving (I don't think so)!

I suck at texting...So there

there was a train wreck awhile back, cant recall where right now. but the accedent was do to the fact of texting. there was a passenger that was texting the guy that was driving the train