How to help the family of slain Indiana State Trooper Aaron Smith
An account to benefit the family of Trooper Aaron N. Smith, who was killed by a fleeing driver Wednesday, has been established at Indiana Members Credit Union.
Smith, of Franklin, was killed while trying to stop a stolen vehicle on Ronald Reagan Parkway in Hendricks County around 8:40 p.m. He is survived by his wife.
The account at the Indiana Members Credit Union (IMCU) has been set up under “Aaron Smith Memorial Fund.” Donations can be made by stopping at the nearest IMCU branch or by calling 800-556-9268.
Donations can also be made through the Indiana Fallen Heroes Foundation, 1710 S. 10th St., Noblesville, 317-431-0755.
Donations to the Fallen Heroes fund also can be made online by click here.
GoFundMe will not be used as a platform for making donations, officials said, and already scammers have taken to the platform to dupe people.
We have been notified about a false Go Fund Me page claiming to benefit the family of Trooper Smith. This is a scam
There are no Go Fund Me pages or other contribution websites to benefit his family. The official memorial fund is established at Indiana Members Credit Union pic.twitter.com/5WZdJxmGEV— Sgt. John Perrine (@ISPIndianapolis) July 5, 2023
What we know about the crash
The crash occurred north of Interstate 70 on Ronald Reagan Parkway, just outside of Indianapolis in Plainfield. Smith was assisting in stopping the pursuit of the stolen 2016 Chevrolet Traverse.
Video from a traffic camera reviewed by IndyStar showed the Chevrolet turning toward Smith as he was throwing stop sticks onto the road.
Slain Trooper tried to stop fleeing car: He saved 2 lives in 2022, served in National Guard
The vehicle violently slammed into Smith, sending him into the air before he landed in a ditch, the video showed. The vehicle also ended up in the ditch after the collision.
Smith was rushed to Eskenazi Hospital, where he died, according to state police.
The driver of the stolen vehicle and the two passengers were taken to hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries after the crash.
Smith is the second ISP trooper to be killed in the line of duty this year while deploying spike strips. Master Trooper James Bailey died after being struck by a car in early March while assisting Fort Wayne Police with stopping a fleeing vehicle on Interstate 69.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How to help the family of slain Indiana State Trooper Aaron Smith
