Air Care Called to Caravan vs. Tractor Accident in Sunman

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 6:40 AM

By Travis Thayer @eagle993

One person sustained major injuries.

Shutterstock photo.

(Sunman, Ind.) - One person was injured in an accident involving a tractor on Monday night.

Ripley County Sheriff's deputies responded to the incident around 9:39 p.m. in the 12300 block of State Road 101 for a two-vehicle crash with injuries and entrapment.

The initial investigation shows that a Dodge Grand Caravan operated by Tamara Fledderman, 58, of Sunman, was traveling south on State Road 101, when she struck a tractor traveling northbound with a wide load of farming equipment.

The tractor was operated by Jerald Richter, 69, of Sunman.

The impact of the crash caused the Grand Caravan to be crushed in on itself from the hood of the vehicle, forcing Sunman Fire to extricate Fledderman from the vehicle. She was airlifted from the scene with major injuries.

Richter was uninjured.

Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be a factor.

The Sheriff's Office would like to remind citizens to look for spotter vehicles, and slow-moving farming equipment that might be traveling along the roadways.