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News

TEENS - TEEN DRIVING

• Traveling to and From School - Safety First!
  Aug 17, 2009

  TRAVELING TO AND FROM SCHOOL:  Review the basic rules with your youngster:

  School Bus

  •  If your child's school bus has lap/shoulder seat belts, make sure your child uses one at all times when in the bus. If your child's school bus does not have lap/shoulder belts, encourage the school to buy or lease buses with lap/shoulder belts.
  •  Wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb.
  •  Do not move around on the bus.
  •  Check to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing.
  •  Make sure to always remain in clear view of the bus driver.
  •  Children should always board and exit the bus at locations that provide safe access to the bus or to the school building.

  Car

  •  All passengers should wear a seat belt and/or an age- and size-appropriate car safety seat or booster seat.
  •  Your child should ride in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible and then ride in a belt-positioning booster seat. Your child is ready for a booster seat when she has reached the top weight or height allowed for her seat, her shoulders are above the top harness slots, or her ears have reached the top of the seat.
  •  Your child should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle's seat belt fits properly (usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 to 12 years of age). This means that the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with her legs bent at the knees and feet hanging down and the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the thighs, and not the stomach.
  •  All children under 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles. If you must drive more children than can fit in the rear seat (when carpooling, for example), move the front-seat passenger's seat as far back as possible and have the child ride in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit properly without it.
  •  Remember that many crashes occur while novice teen drivers are going to and from school. You should require seat belt use, limit the number of teen passengers, do not allow eating, drinking, cell phone conversations or texting to prevent driver distraction; and limit nighttime driving and driving in inclement weather. Familiarize yourself with your state's graduated driver license law and consider the use of a parent-teen driver agreement to facilitate the early driving learning process.

  Bike

  •  Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride.
  •  Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic.
  •  Use appropriate hand signals.
  •  Respect traffic lights and stop signs.
  •  Wear bright color clothing to increase visibility.
  •  Know the "rules of the road."

  
  Walking to School

  •  Make sure your child's walk to a school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection.
  •  Be realistic about your child's pedestrian skills. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.
  •  If your child is young or is walking to new school, walk with them the first week to make sure they know the route and can do it safely.
  •  Bright colored clothing will make your child more visible to drivers.
  •  In neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider starting a "walking school bus," in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children walking to school.
  - 11 - 20

Personal Injury

• Dorinda C. Conley of Syracuse Killed in Sunday Morning Crash
  Nov 23, 2009

  Dorinda Conley, 39, of Syracuse, Indiana was killed early Sunday morning when witnesses say her car suddenly ran off the roadway and struck a tree on CR 900 North in Kosciusko County.   Ms. Conley was pinned inside the vehicle and had to be extricated by the Syracuse/Turkey Creek Township Fire Department.  The Kosciusko County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team/Critical Investigation Team is still investigating the crash.
  
  Funeral arrangements can be viewed at http://www.newswithstaceypage.com/obituaries.cfm  - 12 - 20

• Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department Remembers Fallen Officer, Jeff Shaw
  Nov 15, 2009

  A Kosciusko County Sheriff squad car is located outside the department headquarters as a memorial for persons to pay their respects to Sergeant Jeff Shaw.     Shaw was killed in an auto/truck crash on November 12th while on duty in the Southern part of Kosciusko County.
  
  Shaw is remembered first as a devoted family man and then to his job at the department, those that worked for and with him, as well as those he protected.   He was very well respected and highly thought of by his brothers in the department.  
  
  Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 17th at Warsaw Community Church, 2300 Ranch Road, Warsaw, with Pastor Denny Wilson officiating.  Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery with full honor guard detail.    Calling is from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday at the church.
  
  A private Masonic memorial service will be conducted by masters and past  masters of Kosciusko County lodges.
  
  McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw, is in charge of the arrangments. - 13 - 20

• Sergeant Jeffrey Shaw Killed While on Duty in a Squad Car/Truck Collision
  Nov 13, 2009

  Kosciusko County Sheriff Sergeant, Jeffrey Shaw age 40, was killed Thursday in a squad car/truck collision on Indiana Highway 14 near Silver Lake, Indiana in the Southern part of Kosciusko County.    Sgt. Shaw was on regular patrol duty when the collision occured around 2:47 p.m.   
  
  Investigators state that Shaw's cruiser was struck by a truck hauling scaffolding, driven by Steven Byerly, 53 of Fort Wayne.  After a preliminary investigation, it is believed that Byerly's truck left the roadway, he overcorrected and struck the passenger side of  Shaw's cruiser after crossing the center line.    Both vehicles caught fire after impact.  Byerly was pulled from the truck by a passerby, however, Sgt. Shaw had to be extricated from the squad car by fire and rescue officials.  Both were transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital where Sergeant Shaw was pronounced dead from blunt force trauma.    Byerly was treated for a minor head injury and released.
  
  Sergeant saw leaves behind a wife, Angela, and two young children, Nicholas age 9 and Isabella age 7.
  
  A very tragic and sad loss for the Shaw and Kosciusko Sheriff's Department families.
  

   

  

  - 14 - 20

• Warsaw Woman Serious After Highway 30 crash
  Nov 12, 2009

  A two vehicle collision on Highway 30 at 200 North (near Biomet Drive) left one Warsaw woman in serious condition Wednesday.  Beth A. Bumgardner was crossing the intersection when she was struck in the driver's side by an vehicle being driven by Scott A. Haines of Bourbon.   Haines reported that he could not see the traffic light due to the morning sun.    Bumgardner was pinned in her vehicle until extricated by the Warsaw Fire Department.   She was airlifted to Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne with internal, neck and head injuries.     She is listed in serious condition.   Haines suffered shoulder injuries and was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital for treatment.
  
  The crash remains under investigation. - 15 - 20

• Norman Vinson of Jay County Dies of Injuries in a Car-Motorcycle Crash in Miami County
  Nov 11, 2009

  A car-motorcycle collision which occured on Mexico Road south of 400 North in Miami County on Saturday, November 7, 2009, took the life of Norman Vinson, 55 of Jay County, Indiana.  
  
  A car driven by Ryne Fuller, 22, of Miami County, turned into the path of Vinson's 2010 Harley Davidson on Mexico Road.   Vinson was reportedly unable to avoid Fuller's vehicle and struck the passenger side front tire flipping him over the vehicle.   Vinson was not wearing a helmet. 
  
  Mr. Vinson was airlifted to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, where he later died following surgery for his injuries.
  
  - 16 - 20

• Watercraft Victim Killed in Jet-Ski Accident on the Maumee River
  Oct 30, 2009

  A Fort Wayne man, Matthew Stocksdale age 37, was killed while riding his personal watercraft on the Maumee River on Sunday, October 25th.  
  
  The Allen County Coroner's office indicates that he was killed by blunt force trauma to the neck when he struck a cable securing a job site for work no the Tecumseh Street bridge.   The cables were allegedly strung across the river with no markers for visibility.   - 17 - 20

• Occupants of Car Flee Car-Train Accident in Warsaw
  Oct 19, 2009

  A car-train accident in Warsaw Saturday night on the north/south tracks at the Market Street crossing remains under investigation.  A local police officer witnessed the Northfolk Southern train abruptly brake.  Following the impact  four persons exited the car  and fled the area.  One man, Hilario Lopez, age 48, remained in the vehicle.  He was arrested for public intoxication.  The driver of the vehicle remains unknown, however, local authorities say that Mr. Lopez is helping to provide information. - 18 - 20

• Roanoke Man injured and four killed in a South Whitley car crash
  Oct 15, 2009

  Indiana resident John Brooks, 56, of Roanoke was injured when his SUV was struck head on by a Dodge Neon carrying four Kentucky residents.   Shara Means, 34; Amanda Hollon, 29; Shannel Gabbbard, 21 and Richard Casey Rardin, 27.  The Dodge Neon collided head on with the SUV when passing in a "no passing" zone on Indiana State Road 5 south of Larwill, Indiana.   None of the passengers in the Dodge Neon were wearing seatbelts.   John Brooks was taken to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne with leg injuries.

  - 19 - 20

• Two South Whitley Teens Injured in a Three Vehicle Accident Remain Hospitalized
  Oct 08, 2009

  Two teens remain hospitalized following Tuesday mornings serious accident near South Whitley.  Jarrod Lews, Pierceton, remains in critical condition while Charles Shepherd's condition has been upgraded to fair.  Both boys remain in Parkview Hospital Fort Wayne.  Austin Striggle, also of Pierceton, was treated and released at Parkview Hospital.   All four boys injured in the accident are students at Whitko High School in South Whitley, Indiana.    Speed was a factor in the crash.   The accident continues to remain under investigation.
  
  - 20 - 20

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