Tragic Accident: Deer Thrown Through Windshield Claims Woman's Life

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PARAGON, Ind. (WXIN) — Tragedy struck in Indiana on Saturday when a young mother lost her life after a deer, hit by a car, was propelled through her vehicle’s windshield.

According to a post by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook, this fatal incident unfolded on State Road 67 close to Paragon.

The accident occurred when the driver of a Pontiac, heading north, collided with the deer. The force of the impact sent the animal into the opposite southbound lane, where it crashed through the windshield of a Chevy Blazer.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, 25-year-old Cheyenne Sears from Spencer, Indiana, who was a passenger in the Blazer, succumbed to injuries sustained in the collision, as confirmed by the sheriff’s department.

The 55-year-old driver of the Blazer was airlifted to a hospital, and a juvenile passenger in the rear seat was also transported to a nearby children’s hospital.

No one in the Pontiac was injured, the sheriff’s department said.

“There’s no way you can predict it,” Morgan County Sheriff Rich Myers said of the fatal incident during an interview with NesNation local affiliate WXIN. “No way you can prevent it. It’s just an unfortunate, tragic accident.”

“Any fatal crash is tragic,” Myers added. “But just the circumstances surrounding this is making it even more for the community.”

Sears’ family told WXIN that she worked with Trilogy Health Services, at an assisted living facility in Mooresville, Indiana. She started with the company as a floor nurse before working her way up to a leadership position.

“She is the epitome of the nurse that you would want your mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa being taken care of,” Nevers said. “She was fun, energetic, her joy and her positivity was just infectious.”

Sears was also the mother of two young twins.

“She was so excited, beyond excited, you know, to be a new mom,” Nevers added. “… You could just see the joy and the happiness that was once at the campus, now in a different role of being a mom.”

Sears’ coworkers and friends have started a fundraiser to support her family. That fundraiser has generated more than $53,000 since Sunday.

“We are deeply saddened to share that Cheyenne Sears, our Assistant Director of Health Services at The Springs of Mooresville, passed away unexpectedly [Saturday] night,” a Trilogy Health Services spokesperson wrote in a prepared statement. “Cheyenne was a beloved part of our community whose warmth and dedication touched the lives of many residents and families. Her energy, positivity and love for her residents, teammates and community were unmatched. Her commitment to creating meaningful experiences and caring for others will be remembered always.”

In the aftermath of Saturday’s crash, Sheriff Myers is encouraging Morgan County residents to remember that deer move unpredictably during mating season. It can also be difficult to avoid them when they enter the roadway, according to Myers.

“They’re so unpredictable, especially this time of the year during the rut when the males are very, very active,” Myers said. “And the females, and the newborns are also out there, very active.”

Myers urged drivers to reduce their speeds and turn their bright lights on if they aren’t facing any oncoming traffic during deer season. He added that it is important for motorists to know that deer could jump into the roadway in front of them at any moment.

“Try to maintain your bright headlights as much as you can,” Myers said. “Reduce your speed. And just be aware of possibly where deer cross a roadway in a lot of areas or where you see them at.”