Four Dead in Head-On Collision on State Road 67 in Jay County
PORTLAND, Ind. (Date) – A head-on crash involving two semis and a van on State Road 67 resulted in four fatalities on February 3, 2026, according to Indiana State Police.
The incident occurred when a semi swerved to avoid slowing traffic and struck a van carrying five Amish construction workers, police stated. The van, driven by 55-year-old Donald Stipp of Portland, was traveling with workers when the collision occurred.
The victims were identified as 50-year-old Henry Eicher, 25-year-old Menno Eicher, 19-year-old Paul Eicher, and 23-year-old Simon Girod, all from Bryant, Indiana. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
The semi driver, 30-year-old Bekzhan Beishekeev, a national from Kyrgyzstan, was initially taken into custody by the Jay County Sheriff's Office. He has since been turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is currently held in Fulton County Jail.
Authorities confirmed that Beishekeev possessed a Pennsylvania-issued commercial driver's license. An audit is reportedly underway to examine the status of undocumented workers with such licenses.
Emergency response teams, including local law enforcement and medical personnel, were dispatched to the scene. Witnesses reported that a significant number of Amish family members arrived to provide support and mourn.
The investigation is ongoing, with Indiana State Police leading the inquiry into the crash. Lane closures were enforced during the emergency response and cleanup efforts.