Two people were airlifted to medical facilities for serious injuries after two separate vehicle collisions were reported on State Road 10 within 45 minutes of each other on Monday.
According to the crash report filed at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, the first collision took place at 4:30 p.m. on State Road 10 near the intersection of Range Road. Connie Boyer, 58 of North Judson, was reportedly traveling east on State Road 10 in a 2005 GMC SUV with two passengers when she slowed to make a left turn onto Range Road. She told police that she did not see the green 2001 Chevrolet car traveling toward her on State Road 10, operated by 46-year-old Michelle Howard of North Judson. Boyer made her turn into the path of Howard, causing a head-on collision.
Howard was seriously injured in the crash and was trapped inside her vehicle with incapacitating contusions to her body. She was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for treatment. Boyer was not seriously injured.
The second accident occurred shortly after at 5:13 p.m. near the intersection of State Road 10 and 300 East. Police say the accident occurred when a 2007 Ford car driven by 83-year-old Thelma Smith of North Judson was traveling east on State Road 10 and had slowed to turn left into a driveway. Smith turned left in front of a vehicle driven by Marsha Hayes, 61 of Monticello. Hayes struck the passenger side of Smith’s vehicle, sending the car into the opposite lane to strike the front of a third car driven by Michael Taylor, 27 of Monterey, with two passengers.
A thirteen-year-old passenger in Taylor’s vehicle sustained injuries and was airlifted to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. The others were treated by EMS for non-incapacitating injuries.
