Memorial honors 19-year-old victim of deadly crash on Indy's southwest side

INDIANAPOLIS — Metro police detectives are looking into the death of a man and the trail of damage to parked cars on the city's southwest side.

It happened early Saturday morning.

The damage from a deadly crash is still evident on Reisner Street. An SUV front end is smashed. A van, side swiped. Now, flowers, a cross, and a burning candle sit in memory of 19-year-old Edras Hernandez.

WRTV

"I just heard a loud boom. I looked out of my window and I just saw car pieces everywhere," said Brian Michaca.

Brian Michaca's family vehicle is one of 7 damaged early Saturday morning.

WRTV

Metro police believe speed and alcohol may have played a role in the crash that killed the 19-year-old passenger.

Michacha said the driver was the victim's brother and that the family lives nearby and placed the memorial at the scene.

Five others were taken to the hospital including a 5 and 14 year old.

"We went back inside to call the cops and ambulance," said Michaca.

Michaca's family can no longer drive their car. "We'll, look for rides to get to our jobs," he said.

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Thousands of cars are parked on Indianapolis streets.

"How many times have you seen your neighbor's cars get hit," asked WRTV to Wright. He lives on Central Ave.

"At least 20 times. We have two uncontrolled intersections. There's a lot of crashes of those intersections. There's also speeding cars that lose control, and it will take out a whole line of cars along the street as well,"Wright said. "There goes a car passing another car right there, just because they were going too slow for them. so it drives up our insurance rates. it makes everyone's life miserable for a couple days or a couple weeks, and that's just not fair."

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Insurance agent, Sonya Derf, said if your car is damaged while parked on the street, you need to file a police report.

"It shows that you've documented, it's been documented the time, day, damage, all of that," she said.

Then call your insurance agent to file a claim. She advises to get as much video of the damage as you can.

"Unfortunately, when it comes to a parked car getting hit and there's no information, it's, you know, of course, there's not a lot of options for the owner of that car. It's either that you know who they are, or if you don't, it's your insurance company being used and unfortunately, that does cause your rates to go up to so anytime insurance companies pay out money, whether it's your fault or not, your rates are going to go up to some degree," said Derf.

IMPD says no arrests have been made in the crash. Investigators say they are waiting for results of a toxicology report for the driver.