(UNDATED) – An Auburn man is dead following a crash over the weekend.

The Indiana State Police say they were contacted by DeKalb County
Dispatchers at 3 PM Saturday regarding a 911 call of a crash in the area of DeKalb County Road 21 just south of County Road 34.

The preliminary investigation determined that just before 3 PM, 25 year old Guadalupe Alfredo Cruz of Ashley was driving his car north on County Road 21 and lost control on the gravel surface while trying to avoid an animal that was in the road. The vehicle then slid sideways and went off the road, before striking a tree on the passenger's side.

A passenger in the vehicle, 24 year old Joshua Charles Clifford of Auburn, was trapped in the automobile, and died from his injuries.

Both men were wearing their safety belts at the time of the crash. Cruz was cleared by emergency personnel at the scene, but transported to Parkview DeKalb Hospital for chemical testing as part of the investigation, which is continuing.

Assisting at the scene were the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department, the Corunna Fire Department, DeKalb Parkview EMS and the DeKalb County Coroner's Office.