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Deadly 2-car crash on W. Joliet Rd. in LaPorte Co. Thursday morning (July 19, 2012) |
WESTVILLE — A Valparaiso woman was killed and the driver who hit her was critically injured in a head-on collision Thursday morning at a sharp curve near Westville.
Emergency responders were called about 7:30 a.m. CST to Joliet Road just west of Wozniak Road.
According to LaPorte County Police, the investigation shows 26-year-old Katherine Atkins was eastbound on a sharp curve. John Mikle, of Michigan City, was traveling at a high rate of speed when he veered over the centerline and struck the front driver's side of the oncoming Atkins' car.
Police say Mikle was hospitalized in critical condition with undisclosed injuries.
Three children were in the back seat of Atkins' vehicle. Authorities say 7-year-old Neilah Maule was undergoing surgery for brain swelling and bruising to the brain.
5-year-old Jaidyn Maule suffered a severely broken leg while 5-year-old Audrey Spitler was not hurt.
Police said two of the children belonged to Atkins' boyfriend while the other child was a niece of her boyfriend.
Atkins was taking them to a grandparent's home in LaPorte at the time of the crash.
Police say Sosinski says rain prevented a medical helicopter from landing at the scene about 30 miles southwest of South Bend, so the injured went by ambulance to hospitals in LaPorte and Michigan City.
