Tipton teen killed after ITM dinner train collides with vehicle

A 17-year-old Tipton girl died Nov. 8 when a train owned by Noblesville’s Indiana Transportation Museum collided with a pickup truck she was driving in Tipton County.

According to the Tipton Police Dept., the crash occurred at 8:18 p.m. in the 400 block of Park Road on the south side of Tipton. Officials said the 2003 white Chevy pickup truck had been pushed more than 300 feet south of the intersection and was still in contact with the front of the six-passenger car locomotive. The unresponsive driver, Ava Jean Ridenour, was driving home from work at the time. The vehicle’s air bags had deployed and Ridenour was not wearing a seatbelt. The Tipton County Coroner’s report said she died at the scene.

Police said the ITM “Blue Arrow” dinner train was traveling approximately 18 mph southbound approaching Park Road. It had reduced speed prior to the crossing and was sounding its engine bell and whistle, according to witnesses. The train engineer immediately activated the emergency brake to bring the train to a stop after the collision.

Ridenour was traveling east on Park Road following another vehicle. Police said each vehicle disregarded the active warning grade crossing lights and audible signals. There are no train-crossing arms at the track crossing.

Passengers said the train had just left 10 minutes before the accident. The train was scheduled to stop in Atlanta and then head to Noblesville and Fishers. The 100 passengers on board were transported back to their destinations via buses.

Ridenour, the daughter of Kim and Julie (Hamilton) Ridenour, was a junior at Tipton High School. She was born in Noblesville and was an active member of Center Grove Baptist Church in Kokomo and was very involved in the youth ministry at Heartland Church. She was a member of the THS softball team and had recently auditioned for “American Idol.” Prior to playing high school softball, she was very active on many local travel teams playing for the Howard County Thunder and the Noblesville Flames. She worked at Miller’s Merry Manor as a dietary assistant.