Two men from Jasonville were killed on Saturday morning, November 7, in a two-vehicle crash on US 41 at Old US 41 near Oaktown in Knox County, Indiana State Police said. Troopers and Knox County Sheriff's deputies responded to the crash at approximately 9:31 a.m., according to the Indiana State Police Evansville District.
Source: Indiana State Police — Evansville District (Nixle)
A preliminary investigation found that a Dodge Grand Caravan traveling westbound on Old US 41 failed to yield the right of way to a 2004 GMC Yukon traveling southbound on US 41, state police said. The two vehicles collided at the intersection of the main highway and the old highway alignment outside Oaktown.
The Knox County Coroner's Office identified the two men killed as Stephen Hines, 70, and Ricky Hackle, 63, both from Jasonville. Investigating officers believe Hackle was driving the Yukon and Hines was his passenger, state police said in an updated release. One man was pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner's office, and the other was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Police said the families of both men have been notified.
The driver of the Grand Caravan was identified as Anayeli Camacho, 30, of Oaktown. She was injured in the crash, according to the state police's initial release. Camacho was arrested for allegedly operating a vehicle without ever receiving a driver's license and was taken to the Knox County Jail, where she was being held on bond, police said. She will also be cited for failure to yield, according to the updated release. The arrest and citation are allegations; Camacho is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Who is investigating
The investigating officer is Trooper Brett Pool of the Indiana State Police, assisted by Master Trooper Randy Huddleston and Senior Trooper Kylen Compton, with the Knox County Sheriff's Department and the Knox County Coroner's Office also involved, state police said. The investigation remains active, and police said additional information would be released as it becomes available.
A working highway through farm country
US 41 is one of western Indiana's main north–south corridors, carrying local farm traffic, commuters and long-haul trucks through Knox County between Terre Haute and Evansville. Around Oaktown, the modern highway runs beside stretches of the older US 41 alignment, and local roads meet the fast-moving highway at grade — the kind of intersection where, investigators say, this crash began with a failure to yield. Saturday's collision was reported at 9:31 a.m., in morning light, and state police have not announced any finding that weather played a role.
The allegation against Camacho — operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license — is separate from driving on a suspended license: police allege she had never been issued a license at all. State police have not said whether any further charges are being considered, and the preliminary failure-to-yield finding comes from the first stage of the investigation, which troopers say is continuing.
Camacho is held at the Knox County Jail on bond on the unlicensed-driving arrest and faces a failure-to-yield citation, state police said. Trooper Brett Pool's investigation continues; any additional charges would be announced by the Indiana State Police or the Knox County prosecutor. The coroner's office has completed the identifications and both families have been notified.
For drivers using rural highway intersections like US 41 and Old US 41, troopers' preliminary account is a reminder of the risk at crossings where slower local traffic meets a high-speed corridor: the preliminary investigation says the crash turned on one driver's failure to yield to traffic already on the highway.