TOP STORY OF THE DAY, brought to you free by WICU: Pond accident victim was missing Terre Haute woman

The scene of a potential hit-and-run accident that damaged the INDOT sign for Indiana Sheriff’s Youth Ranch entrance sometime April 30 turned out to be much more Friday. Cell phone technology helped locate a woman reported missing in Vigo County at a ravine on State Road 59 near the Indiana Sheriff’s Youth Ranch.

Ivy Jacobs photo

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office confirms a death occurred during a strange vehicle accident along State Road 59.

Details were not released over the weekend because officials needed to identify the victim discovered in a vehicle submerged in a pond on State Road 59 Friday afternoon and then notify the family.

Wabash Valley law enforcement had been looking for Jessica Nascimbene, 36, reported missing since April 29, including the CCSO.

SUBMITTED - Jessica Nascimbene

Nascimbene was last seen leaving a Walmart on Terre Haute’s southside driving a 2018 black Nissan Pathfinder with license plate number UEI876.

Meanwhile, CCSO was notified about (CCSO was actively investigating both cases.)

During the initial investigation into the hit-and-run, it was believed a southbound vehicle at some point crossed the center line to the east side of the highway, where it struck the sign. It then drove through the ditch for a short distance before traveling back onto the road and continuing south without reporting the incident.

Vigo County provided new information from using cell phone technology to track Nascimbene’s phone Friday. The report put her last known location in Clay County along SR 59.

CCSO investigators returned to locate vehicle parts potentially left behind from the initial crash. During a search of the area again, deputies determine the vehicle responsible for the damage to the sign had not reentered the roadway but had tumbled down the deep ravine, becoming submerged about five to ten feet under the water.

The Indiana State Conservation Dive Team was contacted, and the officers assisted in securing and helping remove the vehicle.

Because the ravine was approximately 200-feet, making the recovery of the vehicle potentially dangerous, a portion of the highway between CR 500 N and CR 600 N was closed. This allowed for Poor Boys Towing to remove the black car from 10-feet of the water safely while the traffic was rerouted around the area for several hours. Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department assisted with traffic control.

Around 6:45 p.m., detectives confirmed the driver of the black SUV was still inside and had succumbed to injuries sustained during the crash.

It was later determined that Nacimbene was the victim, and the family was notified. It is unclear why Nacimbene left the roadway, but the investigation is ongoing.

Forensic Pathologist Dr. Roland Kohr performed an autopsy Saturday, May 8, 2021. The preliminary cause of death is listed as drowning, but further details are not available at this time.

Assisting the Clay County Sheriff’s Office was the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana Conservation Officers, Clay County Coroner’s Office, STAR Ambulance, and Poor Boys Towing.