Marion County coroner releases cause, manner of death for 2 people killed in fiery Tesla crash


Picture of Kevin McCarthy (left), Casey Speckman (right)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Marion County Coroner’s Office released the cause and manner of death for the two people killed in a fiery Tesla crash in November 2016.

Casey Speckman, 27, died of multiple blunt force traumatic injuries due to motor vehicle collision, and it was ruled an accident.

Kevin McCarthy, 44, died of blunt force trauma of the head and extremities due to motor vehicle collision, and it was ruled an accident.

The accident occurred in the early morning hours of November 3. Speckman and McCarthy were traveling on Illinois Street just north of 16th Street when Speckman crashed the car into a tree.

According to Kevin Jones with the Indianapolis Fire Department, firefighters couldn’t reach the victims immediately because of several intense fires. They had to contend with the main fire centered on the Tesla itself as well as several smaller fires from the lithium ion batteries that power the car. Jones said some of those battery cells fired off “almost like projectiles” while crews tried to get the situation under control.

Speckman was pronounced dead at the scene, while McCarthy was extricated from the car and taken to Eskenazi Hospital, where he later died.

McCarthy, a former FBI agent, was the president and CEO of Case Pacer, an Indianapolis-based software company. Speckman, who was newly engaged, had recently graduated law school and was working at Case Pacers.
