Two people from Ligonier died in a crash on State Road 13 near Millersburg in Elkhart County on the night of Saturday, September 5, 2026. InkFreeNews reported the crash[1] from an Elkhart County Sheriff's Office release. The sheriff's Crash Investigation Team is handling the case, and the investigation is ongoing.
What happened
According to InkFreeNews, citing the sheriff's release, the crash happened just after 9:00 p.m., with the release placing it at 9:10 p.m. A 1963 Triumph T6R motorcycle was traveling south on State Road 13 with Lowell Penner of Ligonier operating and Leah Lichtenberger, 58, of Ligonier riding as a passenger.
The sheriff's account says the motorcycle had slowed or stopped in traffic while preparing to turn west onto County Road 148 when a southbound 2014 Nissan Rogue struck it from behind. The impact drove the motorcycle off the west side of the roadway and into a field. The Rogue also left the roadway and came to rest in the field. WSBT reported the same rear-end sequence[2].
Mr. Penner and Ms. Lichtenberger were both pronounced dead at the scene, according to InkFreeNews. The Rogue driver, a 58-year-old Ligonier woman, was not injured. She was taken to Goshen Hospital for a blood draw, which the sheriff's office described as routine procedure following a fatal crash. No source reported a finding of impairment, and none is suggested here.
The sheriff's release said the weather was clear and the road was dry. No citations had been issued as of Sunday, September 6, and no arrests have been reported. Reporting on Mr. Penner's age differs between outlets, so no age is given here.
What should accident victims do next?
If you are hurt in a crash on an Indiana road, get medical care and follow your providers' instructions. Identify the investigating agency and obtain the report number. You can also review how to obtain an Indiana crash report. A preliminary account given to reporters is not the final report, and a police report does not determine civil liability.
Preserve photographs of the vehicles, roadway, pavement markings, signage, and sight lines before conditions change. Write down what you remember and retain witness contact information. Other drivers in the same line of traffic may have information about the sequence before impact. More guidance is available on evidence that can help explain an Indiana crash.
Be careful with recorded statements. Insurers may aggressively defend fault and injury claims, and an early statement can become a fixed account of events. If you are asked for one, consider getting legal advice first.
If someone in your family died, an Indiana wrongful death claim is generally brought by the estate's personal representative. Opening an estate can take time. A Fort Wayne wrongful death attorney can explain how the estate and claim processes fit together.
Why location matters in Indiana injury claims
This crash happened in Elkhart County, and the Elkhart County Sheriff's Office is investigating. A civil case arising from an Indiana crash is ordinarily filed where the crash occurred, making Elkhart County the usual venue even though the people involved lived in Ligonier.
Most Indiana personal injury and wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the injury or death under Indiana Code 34-11-2-4[3]. Wrongful death claims are also governed by Indiana Code 34-23-1-1[4] and Indiana Code 34-23-1-2[5]. When two people die in the same crash, there are ordinarily separate estates and separate claims, each with its own personal representative.
Indiana follows modified comparative fault under Indiana Code 34-51-2-6[6]. A claimant whose fault is greater than 50 percent recovers nothing. Otherwise, the recovery is reduced by that person's percentage of fault. In a rear-end collision involving a turning movement, reconstruction evidence, signals, vehicle positions, and following distance may all become hotly contested.
Indiana requires minimum auto liability coverage of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage under Indiana Code 9-25-4-5[7]. A single per-accident limit may have to be divided among multiple claims. Indiana insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under Indiana Code 27-7-5-2[8], so motorcycle and household auto policies should be reviewed carefully.
State Road 13 is a state route. If a roadway condition or governmental entity were part of a claim, written notice deadlines could be much shorter: 180 days for a city, county, town, or other political subdivision under Indiana Code 34-13-3-8[9], and 270 days for the State under Indiana Code 34-13-3-6[10]. No source has reported a roadway defect or government involvement in this crash, and none is suggested here.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office, LLC is a Fort Wayne personal injury law firm founded by attorney Chad E. Delventhal in 2009. The firm serves Fort Wayne and communities across northern Indiana. For someone injured in a motorcycle crash, or a family dealing with a loss, a Fort Wayne motorcycle accident attorney can request reports, preserve evidence, review available insurance policies, and track applicable deadlines.
Delventhal Law Office offers a free case evaluation so you can ask questions and understand your options.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
Sources
- InkFreeNews reported the crash (inkfreenews.com) ↩
- WSBT reported the same rear-end sequence (wsbt.com) ↩
- Indiana Code 34-11-2-4 (iga.in.gov) ↩
- Indiana Code 34-23-1-1 (iga.in.gov) ↩
- Indiana Code 34-23-1-2 (iga.in.gov) ↩
- Indiana Code 34-51-2-6 (iga.in.gov) ↩
- Indiana Code 9-25-4-5 (iga.in.gov) ↩
- Indiana Code 27-7-5-2 (iga.in.gov) ↩
- Indiana Code 34-13-3-8 (iga.in.gov) ↩
- Indiana Code 34-13-3-6 (iga.in.gov) ↩
