Coroner identifies man who died in fiery crash on I-65
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fifty-four-year-old Louis Frank Kerr Jr. of Indianapolis is the man who died early Sunday in a fiery crash on Interstate 65 south of Lafayette, Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello said.
Kerr died in a one-vehicle accident about 3:30 a.m. Sunday on Interstate 65. He was a passenger in a northbound Jeep driven by Max Obando Vanegas, 35, of Indianapolis.
Kerr did not have any identification on him, and Vanegas did not know Kerr by name, either, according to police and Costello.
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Kerr's fingerprints were taken during Monday's autopsy, and the Indiana State Police lab informed Costello Tuesday afternoon that the prints were Kerr's. His family has been notified of his death.
Kerr and Vanegas randomly met in Indianapolis and Vanegas agreed to drive Kerr to somewhere north of Indianapolis, according to Indiana State Police, who noted they do not know where the two were driving.
Vanegas wrecked his Jeep south of the Indiana 26/South Street exit, and then ran away, leaving Kerr lying inside the wreckage as it caught fire.
Monday's autopsy indicated Kerr died from blunt force injuries and burns, Costello said in a news release on Monday.
Police found Vanegas hiding near the interstate and arrested him on suspicion of drunk driving resulting in death, drunk driving with endangerment, drunk driving, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Vanegas remained incarcerated in lieu of bond, according to Tippecanoe County Jail online records.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Coroner identifies man who died in fiery crash on I-65
