Serious Accident Has EPD Thankful High-Tech Tool Is Back In Its Hands
By: Kayla Moody
Updated: January 4, 2013
A semi runs a red light and strikes a car -- leaving the driver seriously injured. That was the scene Friday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 41 and Riverside Drive in Evansville. Evansville Police say Leif Almon, 30, of Evansville was driving the semi south on U.S. 41 when he drove through a red light. Brenda Tolliver, 60, of Evansville was traveling east on Riverside through the intersection when the semi crashed into the driver's side of her car. Tolliver was taken to St. Mary's where, as of late Friday night, she was in critical condition. Almon was not injured in the crash.
Whenever someone is seriously hurt in an accident -- EPD reconstructionists must replay the scene through evidence. It's not a quick process, however it is crucial to those involved in an accident. Back in November, investigators spent six hours piecing together multi-vehicle accident on Lloyd Expressway at I-164. The accident scene was especially challenging due to a large debris field, multiple vehicles and multiple injuries. At that time -- EPD explained the reports officers make during reconstruction help victims and their families."If it was your loved one that was seriously injured or killed in a crash, you would want to make sure that the investigation was done to the fullest extent so that their medical damages and anything like that can be taken care of," explained Detective Sara Hilsmeyer. "That's what we're doing. We're working for the victim, we're working for the people who were doing everything right, and ended up in an accident."
Accident reconstruction has sped up over the years with new technology. EPD now uses a device similar to what surveyors use to gather crash scene measurements in place of the classic tape method. Officer Kevin Donahue estimates the device, known as a 'total station apparatus' among investigators, is five to six times faster than measuring an accident scene with tapes
EPD investigators resorted back to using tape over the past month, while their high-tech measuring device was being repaired -- making reconstruction a lengthier process. The device was recently returned to EPD, making data entry more efficient once again. "We can lay [data] down over a Google Earth satellite photo and be done with the diagram in about 20 minutes," says Donahue as he describes the equipment's capabilities.
EPD says the equipment enables reconstructionists to piece the accident back together more quickly while continuing to build the detailed accident report crash victims and their families deserve.
Whenever someone is seriously hurt in an accident -- EPD reconstructionists must replay the scene through evidence. It's not a quick process, however it is crucial to those involved in an accident. Back in November, investigators spent six hours piecing together multi-vehicle accident on Lloyd Expressway at I-164. The accident scene was especially challenging due to a large debris field, multiple vehicles and multiple injuries. At that time -- EPD explained the reports officers make during reconstruction help victims and their families."If it was your loved one that was seriously injured or killed in a crash, you would want to make sure that the investigation was done to the fullest extent so that their medical damages and anything like that can be taken care of," explained Detective Sara Hilsmeyer. "That's what we're doing. We're working for the victim, we're working for the people who were doing everything right, and ended up in an accident."
Accident reconstruction has sped up over the years with new technology. EPD now uses a device similar to what surveyors use to gather crash scene measurements in place of the classic tape method. Officer Kevin Donahue estimates the device, known as a 'total station apparatus' among investigators, is five to six times faster than measuring an accident scene with tapes
EPD investigators resorted back to using tape over the past month, while their high-tech measuring device was being repaired -- making reconstruction a lengthier process. The device was recently returned to EPD, making data entry more efficient once again. "We can lay [data] down over a Google Earth satellite photo and be done with the diagram in about 20 minutes," says Donahue as he describes the equipment's capabilities.
EPD says the equipment enables reconstructionists to piece the accident back together more quickly while continuing to build the detailed accident report crash victims and their families deserve.
