Missing Owen County woman found dead in crashed car

A 26-year-old Owen County woman police had been searching for over the weekend was found dead Sunday night in her overturned car in a ravine along a rural Owen County road.

Police said Shelby L. Melton died at the scene from injuries sustained when her 2014 Chevrolet Sonic crashed in a curve on Franklin Road. Owen County Sheriff Ryan White said it's unclear when it happened, since there apparently were no witnesses.

He speculated it may have been dark, and that Melton missed a sharp curve and ran off the road. He said she had been in Monroe County and was expected to return to Owen County but never arrived.

Friends and family reported her missing Saturday. Indiana State Police issued a news alert asking for help in locating the missing woman, who has a 5-year-old son.

A search was launched. White said people involved in looking for Melton found her car down a deep ravine, not visible from the road. "I'd say they got lucky," the sheriff said.

He said an autopsy was done and the deputy in charge will wait for toxicology test results before completing the investigation. He said an evidence technician reviewed the car and the scene for evidence that could indicate what happened.

"We don't expet anything else to develop," White said. "She died as the result of the crash."

Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.