Indiana woman jumps from car after seeing spider, causes crash

By Andy Proffet

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - A spider was blamed for a crash that injured a 9-year-old boy in northeast Indiana, authorities said on Tuesday.

Angela Kipp, 35, was backing out of her driveway in Syracuse, Indiana, on Friday when she noticed a spider on her shoulder, Sergeant Chad Hill of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department said. Kipp jumped out of the car, which was still in reverse.

Her son, whose name was not released, was in the back seat, but climbed into the driver's seat to try and press the brake, Hill said. He instead pressed the accelerator pedal, causing the car to crash into a passing school bus that was empty and resulting in the boy being thrown from the car.

The son was taken to Goshen General Hospital with minor head injuries, Hill said. The bus driver was not injured.

No charges had been filed against Kipp, Hill said.

"I don't think you can charge her for reckless driving because she wasn't in control of the vehicle," he said.

The type of spider involved was not determined.

(Reporting by Andy Proffet, Editing by Ben Klayman and Doina Chiacu)