Clarksville, TN – At 5:00am this morning, Officer Stephen Holman was sent to investigate a citizen’s call about lines hanging low across the 1100 block of Needmore Road, little did he realize that he was actually going to the scene of a fatal crash.
Officer Holman quickly found the lines hanging across Needmore Road, but upon further investigation he found a 2006 Toyota Tundra with two occupants inside that had run off the road into a ditch in the wood line. The passenger in the vehicle, Lori Marie Armel, 23, of Clarksville was deceased at the scene; the driver, Ian Nicholas Cross-Fajt, 24 of Clarksville was alive, but had sustained head trauma and other injuries.
![The officer in the photo is Officer Joe Shrum inspects the Toyota Tundra. The officer in the photo is Officer Joe Shrum inspects the Toyota Tundra.](https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/needcrash-480x319.jpg)
The investigation into the single vehicle crash indicates that Toyota Tundra, driven by Nicholas Cross-Fajt was traveling south on Needmore Road, ran off the right side of the road, was overcorrected, came back onto the road, crossed into northbound lane, and went off the left side of the road. When the vehicle went off the left side of the road, it collided with a utility pole, and continued on to hit some trees. Armel was wearing a seat belt, Cross-Fajt was not.
Investigators are trying to determine the time and cause of the crash. The last time the victims were heard from is around 3:00am. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
The lead investigator is Officer Bill VanBeber, 931-648-0656, ext. 7148.