What happened
Two people were killed and a semi driver was airlifted after a four-vehicle crash and fire on US 36 in Putnam County on Monday afternoon, October 12, 2026. WTHI reported[1], citing the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, that the crash happened at about 4:10 p.m. on US 36 just west of US 231, a few miles west of Bainbridge. WIBC reported[2] that it happened just before 5 p.m.
WTHI's first headline described the location as US 231 and State Road 36. Its update and WIBC both placed the crash on US 36 just west of US 231.
According to WTHI, witnesses told investigators that an eastbound vehicle crossed the center line and struck a westbound semi head-on. The semi and a bulk hauler overturned and caught fire, and fuel spread beneath two other vehicles. Both occupants of the eastbound vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names were being withheld until family members could be notified.
The semi driver was airlifted. The sheriff's office said there were no burn injuries, according to WTHI.
What remains under investigation
The witness accounts have not been confirmed as an official finding. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the cause, and no citations or charges have been reported. A police report is not a determination of civil liability.
Greencastle, Bainbridge, and Russellville fire departments and Putnam County EMS responded. WIBC reported that a hazmat team responded to a leak, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management was notified, and US 36 was closed in both directions.
What accident victims should do next
Crashes involving semis and multiple vehicles can involve several drivers, companies, and insurers. You can begin by getting the crash report number from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office and asking when the report will be available. This guide explains how to obtain an Indiana crash report.
Write down what you remember, including witness names and any trucking company names shown on the vehicles. Keep medical records, bills, and photos together. Evidence such as vehicle data, commercial-carrier logs, and camera footage can be lost or overwritten quickly, so timely preservation requests matter. You can also review the types of evidence that may support an Indiana crash claim.
Be careful about giving a recorded statement to any insurance company, including a trucking company's insurer, before you understand your options. Insurers may aggressively defend fault, injury, and coverage questions. The firm's guide to recorded statements and medical releases explains common concerns.
Why location and multiple vehicles matter
This crash happened on US 36 in rural Putnam County, and the Putnam County Sheriff's Office is investigating. A civil case would ordinarily be filed in Putnam County or where a defendant lives.
When several vehicles are involved, Indiana's modified comparative-fault rule, Indiana Code 34-51-2-6[3], divides responsibility among everyone found at fault. An injured person whose fault is greater than 50 percent recovers nothing. Otherwise, the recovery is reduced by that person's percentage of fault. You can read more about multi-vehicle crash claims in Indiana.
Indiana's minimum auto-liability limits under Indiana Code 9-25-4-5[4] are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. Available bodily-injury limits may have to cover several claims. Indiana insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under Indiana Code 27-7-5-2[5], and the applicable policy language matters.
Claims after a death may be governed by Indiana Code 34-23-1-1[6]. Most Indiana personal-injury and wrongful-death claims must be filed within two years of the injury or death under Indiana Code 34-11-2-4[7].
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office, LLC is a Fort Wayne personal-injury law firm founded by attorney Chad E. Delventhal in 2009. The firm helps people across Indiana who are hurt because of someone else's carelessness on Indiana roads, as well as families who have lost someone in a crash, including crashes involving commercial trucks.
A Fort Wayne truck accident attorney can review the investigation, identify potentially available insurance, and explain the deadlines that may apply. Delventhal Law Office offers a free case evaluation. No outcome can be promised in any case.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
