PHIL SANCHEZ
WISH
Reprinted with Permission

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - An off duty Franklin Township firefighter has died after crashing his truck into a south side strip club. David Joseph Newsom, age 34, died from injuries he suffered in the crash.


Firefighters say Newsom lost control of his pick up truck and slammed into at Club Zeus at 2718 Madison Avenue just before 6:30pm Sunday.

Firefighters said Newsom hit another car and an electric pole before plowing into the club.

Firefighters said the other car was driven by a mother and her two children.

They were all treated on the scene and in good condition.

“He fishtailed and was squealing his tires, and the red car was pulling out she said she looked right and left and that’s when he hit her,” said Brandi Parks.

The club was open at the time of the crash several people were inside including a band.

“I saw it, heard it, got knocked over by it, stuff went everywhere, it was crazy,” said band member Lee Mylie.

“I was sitting at the DJ booth, like right inside here, and I just heard a loud noise and heard the whole building shake and the lights flickered and everything, I jumped out of the booth because I knew a truck hit it or something,” said club employee Ryan Warmith.

Firefighters said before the crash, a police officer noticed Newsom driving about 80 miles per hour southbound on Madison Avenue.
Witnesses tell us he was ejected from the car and out onto the sidewalk.

“He was kind of at an angle, kind of cropped up because of the sidewalk ad debris and stuff. It was like he was lying on bricks a little bit,” another witness said.

Firefighters aren't sure how Newsom lost control of the truck. They say it may have been due to a medical condition.

Newsom was an 8 1/2 year veteran of the Franklin Township fire department. He is survived by his wife Ashley and 2 month old daughter.