Boone County Sheriff Mike Nielsen took to Facebook to vent about a dangerous intersection that's getting heavy traffic as the official detour around a closed bridge on I-65 near Lafayette. His post was prompted by a fatal accident that killed a Lebanon woman Tuesday morning.
Nielsen wants the Indiana Department of Transportation to install a stoplight at the intersection of U.S. 52 and State Road 47.
The sheriff admits the emotion following the fatal crash was his tipping point for using social media to call for action at the intersection. The crash itself was caused by a distracted driver.
Sheriff Nielsen says his office had been in contact with INDOT several times since the detour was announced about getting a light at that intersection.
"I'd like to see a resolution within 24 hours from INDOT," Nielsen said Wednesday afternoon. "So, I'm hoping that for 24 hours today, INDOT will come back and say here's what we plan on doing. And with something more than just lowering the speed limit. We have to keep in mind that we have turned a U.S. highway into an interstate."
In a statement, INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield says the agency is saddened by the loss of life and is working non-stop to ensure public safety.
"So far, analysis of the crash data we have does not indicate that a signal at this location would have prevented the crash yesterday or others that have occurred since the recent measures were put in place," Wingfield wrote. "We continue to vigorously pursue all options."
More than 4,000 people liked the sheriff's Facebook post about the situation.
"I'm excited that we had that many likes on that Facebook post," Nielsen says. "Again, I was emotional. I still am emotional and until go through the situation we go through as officers do on a daily basis, I don't think they really understand. There is some frustration and I'm not going to apologize for what I wrote. I stand firm in what I believe and I stand firm in making sure that I speak for the citizens of this county."
Nielsen says this is not a turf war with INDOT and that he had a good conversation with the deputy commissioner who has agreed to, 'keep the lines of communication open.'