Indiana State Police are investigating a single vehicle crash that occurred early this afternoon in rural Churubusco in Whitley County that killed a 26-year-old man who was fleeing a police officer.

The preliminary investigation by Sgt. Aaron Cook indicated that at approximately 1:54 p.m., a 1989 Dodge Neon driven by Tristan Andrew Bender, 26, from Churubusco, was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed in the 6900 block of east County Road 150 North, which is just west of Johnson Road. Bender had been attempting to elude the Churubusco Town Marshal who had been pursuing him with his emergency equipment activated.

Bender’s vehicle traveled left of center and went off of the north side of the roadway where it struck a tree head-on. As a result of the impact, Bender, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from his vehicle. He was transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center by Samaritan where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

It is not known at this time whether drugs or alcohol were involved. The crash remains under investigation.

Assisting at the scene were the Whitley County Sheriff Department, Whitley County EMS and the Churubusco Fire Department.