LaPorte County Crash Claims a Life

 
 

One person is dead following a head-on collision on U.S. 421 between Wanatah and LaCrosse Thursday afternoon.

Officials from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department say a southbound Pontiac Grand Prix driven by 22-year-old Ryan Halcarz of Valparaiso was passing in a no-passing zone and lost control. His car struck a northbound BMW driven by 65-year-old Judith Tudor of West Lafayette. She had to be cut from the wreckage and was taken to Porter Hospital where she was pronounced dead of blunt force trauma around 4:30 p.m. A passenger in Tudor’s car was not injured.

Neither was Halcarz. Investigators say he tested negative for alcohol. He was cited for passing in violation of signs or markings. The crash investigation is ongoing. Once it’s complete a copy of the report and findings will be sent to the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office for review and the possible filing of criminal charges.

U.S. 421 was shut down for about three hours between U.S. 30 and State Road 8 as a result of the crash.