On Thursday, May 11, 2017, at approximately 6:28 AM the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office responded to 4417 North St. Joseph Avenue upon the report of a vehicle having crashed into the Safety-Kleen building.
The first responding deputy removed the driver from the vehicle and began CPR until responding volunteer fire units could take over. Volunteer firefighters performed CPR on the driver until he was transported by ambulance to Deaconess Hospital. Both German Township and McCutchanville Fire Departments responded to the scene.
On-scene investigation and witness statements revealed that prior to the crash a blue 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck had stopped in the right lane of travel on North St. Joseph Avenue. A witness observed the driver let go of the steering wheel and clutch his chest with both hands. The driver, Robert K. Akin, 64, of Evansville, reportedly leaned back into the seat and the vehicle then accelerated and struck the curbing. The truck reportedly ran off the right side of the road and traveled through the grass until it collided with the Safety-Kleen building.
The driver later died at the hospital. The primary cause of the crash was listed as driver illness.