Fatal crash under investigation in La Porte County

 

LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. -- Evan Doperalski, an off-duty deputy, came upon a two-vehicle crash on Johnson Road at the intersection of County Road 500 West on Saturday around 4:16 p.m., according to the La Porte County Sheriff's Office.

Officials say that a 2009 Hyundai, driven by a 65-year-old man from Michigan City, was traveling North on County Road 500 West at the time of the crash.

Investigations show that the driver of the Hyundai disregarded a stop sign and collided with the front passenger side of a vehicle heading eastbound on Johnson Road, according to the sheriff's office.

The eastbound vehicle was a 2021 Jeep driven by a 69-year-old from La Porte.

Neither driver was injured in the collision, but 45-year-old Joseph R. Childers, a passenger in the Hyundai, sustained an upper body injury in the crash.

Police say that he was transported from the scene to a local hospital for treatment and later died as a result of his injuries.

Initial investigations state that alcohol has been ruled out as a factor, but that weather conditions contributed to the crash.

According to police, the driver of the Hyundai told officials that wind and blowing snow had reduced his visibility.