Crime & Safety

Husband, Wife Killed in Indy Bus Crash Had Upstate Ties

Chad Phelps attended Bob Jones University and is the son of Dr. Charles "Chuck" Phelps, a former board member of the school.

An Indianapolis church leader says the youth pastor and his pregnant wife are among the three people who died in a bus crash Saturday in Indianapolis.

The bus, carrying a large group of teenagers and young adults from Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, was returning from a church retreat in Michigan when the crash occurred.

Chad Phelps and his wife, Courtney Phelps, died in the crash, along with a member of the church, Tonya Weindorf. Chad Phelps graduated from Bob Jones University and is the son of Dr. Charles "Chuck" Phelps, a former board member of the school. Courtney Phelps and Weindorf also are graduates of Bob Jones University, according to the school.

Courtney Phelps grew up in the Simpsonville area and attended Calvary Baptist Church. She also was the daughter of a local doctor who used to practice in Mauldin.

The Rev. Jeff Hamrick of Calvary Baptist Church in Simpsonville told WYFF the Phelps moved from Greenville to Indiana less than a year ago.

Phelps was pregnant with the couple's second child and was due next month. The couple's one-year-old son, Chase, also was injured in the crash but has been treated and released from the hospital.

Chad Phelps had served as youth pastor of the church since 2012. His father is the senior pastor at Colonial Hills.

According to Fox59 in Indianpolis, the driver of the bus said the brakes failed as the bus went on the off ramp on I-465. He said he couldn’t prevent the vehicle from hitting a raised median barrier.
“Bob Jones University is deeply saddened by the injury of a number of individuals and the deaths of three of our graduates and an unborn baby in the bus accident in Indianapolis Saturday," Bob Jones University Director of Public Relations Randy Page said in a statement. "While situations like this are difficult to understand, we have absolute faith that God is in control of every circumstance in the lives of those who believe in Him. 

"The Bob Jones University family continues to pray for those injured and their families, the families of those killed and the members of Colonial Hills Baptist Church at this difficult time," Page continued.


Find out what's happening in Greer-Taylorswith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Greer-Taylors