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UPDATE (Nov. 15, 2018)– Phillip Epperly, 49, was sentenced to six years in the Indiana Department of Correction.

Original story:

TIPTON (Oct. 31, 2014) – A man crashed his SUV and then dragged his girlfriend’s body into their home, police say.

He was drinking a beer when officers arrived to investigate.

Officers were called to the crash scene at 3980 S. Tipton Co. Rd. 500 W. around 10:50 p.m. Thursday. Investigators from Tipton County and Indiana State Police discovered that Phillip Epperly, 49, Tipton, was behind the wheel of a 2004 Ford Explorer going east on County Road 400 South when he failed to stop at a T-intersection. The SUV ran off the road and crashed into a tree, fence post and utility pole.

Karla M. Wolford, 38, Tipton, died after the crash while Epperly suffered minor injuries. Both were wearing seatbelts, state police said.

When Tipton County sheriff’s deputies responded to the 911 call about the crash, they found Epperly inside the home on South County Road 500 West he shared with Wolford. While he drank a beer, Wolford’s body was on the living room floor.

Investigators said Epperly took her body from the crashed vehicle and dragged her into the home before calling 911.

He was arrested on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death and reckless homicide.

Police said the case remains under investigation and toxicology results are pending.