A medical emergency that incapacitated a driver is likely to blame for a crash Wednesday on the city’s east side.
Police and medical crews were dispatched at 5:26 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a vehicle striking a house at 1305 E. Main St.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a tan 2005 Lincoln Town Car had crashed into the residence. The front half of the car was lodged inside the home.
The driver, 75-year-old Roger Hamilton, was transported to Franciscan Health Crawfordsville where he later died.
The house sustained significant damage, however no one inside was injured.
The crash happened just a few houses away from Hamilton’s East Main Street home.
Hamilton, who owned Hamilton Excavating for the past 50 years, and who once operated Diggers Cafe, was a recent retiree. He is known by many in the community as a founding member of the Crawfordsville Area Softball Association and for his involvement in many local fraternal organizations.
“Roger was such a behind-the-scenes guy in this community,” said Jeff Nelson, who worked decades alongside Hamilton at the Elston Park Softball Complex. “He’s truly going to be missed.”
Nelson interviewed Hamilton in October 2023 for a retirement story that was published in the Journal Review.
“We talked then about him slowing down and wrapping up projects,” Nelson said. “I have no doubt that he left us with no projects on that list. I’m truly sad that he isn’t going to get to enjoy the fruits of his labor.”
The crash remains under investigation by the Crawfordsville Police Department, with the assistance of an accident reconstructionist, as well as the Montgomery County Coroner’s office. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Crawfordsville Police Detective Bob Rivers at 765-362-3762, ext. 233.
