A Jackson County man sustained a head injury Friday morning after he hit a stolen vehicle left sitting in the eastbound lane of U.S. 50 in the Medora Knobs.

Larry A. Shirley, 72, of Norman was treated by Jackson County Emergency Medical Services personnel before before being taken by ambulance to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis after the incident reported at about 6 a.m. Friday morning, according to a news release from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

Shirley was injured as he drove a 1972 Chevrolet S10 pickup east in the 7600 block of U.S. 50 when he came upon and struck a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro sitting broadside in the road, according to county Officer Rick Meyer.

He said Shirley didn’t see the vehicle, reported stolen Oct. 2 in Lawrence County, until moments before impact. Shirley was taken to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour before being transferred to Methodist.

Travis Michael Luedeman, 39, of Norman was arrested in connection with the theft of the vehicle. He was booked into the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown at 8:54 a.m. Friday on two counts of possession of stolen property and was being held without bond pending his initial hearing.

On Oct. 2, Meyer said he responded to a report of an abandoned vehicle in the Spraytown area and found the Camaro on private property. At that time, the Camaro had not been reported stolen, so Meyer said he tagged it to be towed 24 hours later.

Later that day, dispatchers told Meyer the vehicle was reported stolen.

Meyer said the vehicle was gone when he returned where he had tagged it.

A witness said he saw Luedeman put gasoline in the Camaro and drive away, Meyer said.

After Friday’s incident that left Shirley injured, Meyer and county Officer Adam Nicholson were patrolling in the area of the crash looking for Luedeman.

Meyer said he found and arrested Luedeman, who was on foot about six-tenths of a mile from the crash scene in the 8000 block of West U.S. 50.

Lawrence County Detective Tyler Trueblood met with Meyer, Nicholson and county Detective Ben Rudolph to process the Camaro and collect evidence, Meyer said.

He said police believe Luedeman may have been involved in the theft of a 2005 Nissan Altima reported stolen Aug. 29 from the Medora area. That vehicle was recovered the next day after a witness called 911 and reported seeing it in the 10000 block of West U.S. 50.

The caller said he confronted a man and a woman who were standing around the vehicle, but the pair got into another vehicle and left west on U.S. 50. That vehicle was processed for evidence and then returned to its owner, Meyer said.

He said Luedeman remains under investigation in connection other auto thefts in Lawrence County, and additional arrests are expected.