IN Northview HS Student Rylee Rogers ID’d As Victim In Saturday Clay County Possible ‘Distracted Driver’ Crash

POSEY TOWNSHIP, IN. (THECOUNT) — Rylee Paige Rogers, of Brazil, Indiana, has been identified as the victim in a vehicle crash Saturday morning in Posey Township.

Rogers, 16, was operating a Chevy Malibu when she struck a Dodge Ram pickup truck pulling a trailer on County Road 800S & State Road 59, in Brazil on Saturday morning.

According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Rogers was traveling on IN-59 when she came into contact with the pickup truck causing the trailer to overturn.

The Chevrolet Malibu sustained significant front end damage.

Rogers, who was a Northview Knights athlete, was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple blunt force trauma injuries.

The driver of the pickup, Kent D. Lawson, 53, of Terre Haute, the driver of the pickup, told police he observed Rogers looking down for an extended period of time when the collision occurred.

Lawson stated to authorities that he was traveling north on SR 59 when he noticed the Malibu slowly veer into his lane. He stated the female driver was looking down and never looked up as she continued toward him. Mr. Lawson said he steered to avoid the crash but the Malibu continued farther into his lane, reports MyWashashValley.

Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash. Chemical testing is pending.

The Northview Knights Twitter page shared a Tweet expressing their condolences for the loss of Rogers.

Other took to Twitter to express their grief:

Clay Community Schools tweeted a message from Superintendent Jeff Fritz saying counselors and clergy will be available at Northview High School on Monday morning.

Geo quick facts: Posey Township is one of eleven townships in Clay County, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 4,063 and it contained 1,706 housing units – Wikipedia.