Richmond man jailed after U.S. 27 crash kills Liberty man, injures couple

LIBERTY, Ind. — A Richmond 22-year-old has been arrested following a U.S. 27 accident that killed a Liberty man and injured a Richmond couple.

Brock A . Robinson, 22, was booked in the Union County Jail on preliminary charges of Level 4 felony causing death when operating while intoxicated, Level 4 felony leaving the scene of a fatality crash and Level 5 felony reckless driving causing death, according to an Indiana State Police news release.

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Robinson was located near the crash scene in Union County, the release said. Trooper Jacob Ridgeway noticed Robinson displaying signs of impairment and an alcohol odor, according to the release. Robinson was taken to Reid Health for testing.

Indiana State Police troopers responded about 10:15 p.m. Saturday to the crash just north of Liberty, the release said. They found an inverted gray Lexus RX350 down a wooded embankment next to the roadway and a 2013 Subaru BRZ with significant front-end damage.

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David A. Marshall Jr., 37, of Liberty, a backseat passenger in the Lexus, died at the scene, according to the release. The Lexus' driver, Anthony J. Talbert, 61, and his wife, Donna M. Talbert, 66, both of Richmond, were injured in the crash. Anthony Talbert was transported to Reid Health, while Donna Talbert was flown by Care Flight medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.

The preliminary investigation determined that the Subaru was traveling at high speed when it struck the Lexus' rear, the release said. The Lexus then left the roadway, hit a guardrail, went airborne, struck a tree head-on and came to rest on its roof.

The investigation and cleanup closed U.S. 27 for about six hours.

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The Union County Sheriff's Department, Liberty Fire Department, Richmond EMS, Reid Health, Care Flight, Union County coroner, Pardo's Towing and Pollitt's Towing assisted the Indiana State Police.

Richmond woman charged

A Richmond woman was formally charged last week with three felonies related to an October 2021 crash that killed one Union County highway worker and seriously injured another.

Gina Price, 38, is charged with Level 4 felony causing death when operating while intoxicated, Level 5 felony reckless homicide and Level 5 felony causing serious injury when driving while intoxicated, according to case records. An initial hearing in Union County Circuit Court is scheduled for May 2.

Price is accused of striking Justin Moore and Douglas Skaggs while driving a 2008 Honda eastbound on Clifton Road toward U.S. 27, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Moore died at the scene, and Skaggs was transported to Miami Valley Hospital.

Skaggs told investigators that the men were shoveling gravel along the edge of the pavement when they were struck, the affidavit said. 

Price, who called 911, told investigators she thought she had hit a pole before realizing she had struck people, according to the affidavit. A test at Reid Health showed Price had fentanyl and methadone in her system at the time of the accident.

A Level 4 felony conviction carries a six-year advisory sentence and a sentencing range of two to 12 years, while a Level 5 felony conviction has a three-year advisory sentence with a range of one to six years.