Fatal Accident Under Investigation In La Porte County

The La Porte County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team is currently investigating a fatal two-car accident that occurred on Joliet Road, west of Wozniak Road.

Police were summoned to the scene around 7:30 a.m. on Thursday and discovered that Katherine Atkins, 26, of Valparaiso, was dead and three children in her vehicle were injured. Two of those children sustained critical injuries, one with brain swelling and bruising, and were taken to IU Health La Porte Hospital. One was later transferred to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, while the other was taken to Saint Anthony Memorial Hospital in Michigan City.

The driver of the other vehicle, John Mikle of Michigan City, was also taken to Saint Anthony Memorial Hospital with reportedly serious injuries, and he has since been transferred to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

Mikle was heading west on Joliet Road when it crossed the center line, striking Adkin’s car head-on. The impact forced both vehicles off the road and flipped the SUV.