(La Porte County, IN) - A Saturday late-night auto accident outside La Porte claimed the life of a little girl.
Just after midnight, La Porte County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene of a single vehicle crash near US 35 and Schultz Road.
Officers determined that a tan 2000 Chevy travelling south on US 35 left the roadway for unknown reasons and struck two trees before coming to rest in a wooded area.
The driver was 42-year-old Dawn Coleman of Walkerton. The front seat passenger was identified as 45-year-old Alfred Jones of Chicago. Alfred’s children, an 8-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl were in the back seat.
Coleman was transported to a local hospital, then transferred to a regional facility for treatment of serious injuries. Jones was airlifted to a regional hospital with critical injuries.
According to police, both juveniles were transported to a nearby hospital. The boy sustained minor injuries and was later released. The girl sustained fatal injuries and died at the hospital.
Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, but no further information is being released at this time.