INDIANAPOLIS – An Indianapolis man is now charged with reckless homicide in connection to a deadly car crash that happened this past winter.
The two-vehicle accident happened on Feb. 23 at East 21st St. and North Irwin St. on the east side of town.
Michelle Umana-Rodriguez’s vehicle was struck by another car as she was taking her son to school that Friday morning.
“Michelle laid her body on top of him to keep him from going through wherever – the window, the door I’m not sure, but her mission was a mother, a true mother to her last breath,” said Nesa Rojas, Michelle’s mother.
Now all her mother has left is a box of memories.
Michelle’s son survived the crash- along with the other driver involved.
According to court documents – 52-year-old Thomas Sippel is now charged with reckless homicide and causing death while intoxicated.
Court documents show he tested positive for meth and cocaine following the crash.
“Michelle was here every day, sometimes two or three times a day. I don’t have that anymore. He took that from me,” said Nesa.
Court docs state two seconds before the crash, Sippel was driving at 80 miles per hour in a 30-mile-per-hour zone.
Nesa has now buried two of her four children within 7 weeks of each other.
“My son could not deal with his sister dying, he felt it should have been him, and that she’d be left here to be a mother,” said Nesa. “So my son overdosed of a fentanyl overdose, so he inadvertently killed Michelle and he inadvertently killed Allen.”
Now she is looking for calm after the storm.
With one blue eye like Allen’s and one brown eye like Michelle’s – a kitten named Storm; they hope will help their family get through this.
“I hope and pray that we get justice in this family. Not only justice for me as a mother, but justice for my six grandchildren.”
Sippel’s initial hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 25th.
If convicted, Sippel could face a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.
