A second person has died from injuries suffered in a head-on crash on State Road 2 near Westville in LaPorte County. WKVI[1] and WNDU[2] reported the second death. The LaPorte County Sheriff's Office investigation remains ongoing, and no charges have been reported.
What happened
The crash happened at about 1:25 to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026, on State Road 2 just east of County Road 900 West. According to the sheriff's office report described by WKVI, WNDU, and WSBT[3], a witness saw a westbound Kia travel left of center and collide head-on with an eastbound Ford.
WNDU and WSBT reported that the Kia had been following a FedEx truck before crossing the center line. The FedEx truck was not reported to have been struck.
The Ford's driver, Kayla M. Roche, 36, of La Porte, died as a result of the crash. WKVI and WNDU reported that Elvin L. Nuest, 88, of Francesville, a passenger in the Kia, died on Tuesday, September 29, from his injuries. The Kia's driver, a 60-year-old Medaryville man, was also injured. The reports say an injured person was taken to an unnamed regional hospital.
What accident victims should do next
When a crash causes more than one death or injury, separate claims may draw on the same limited insurance coverage. A family considering a wrongful death claim may need a court-appointed personal representative to act for the estate. A wrongful death attorney can explain that process and identify which records may be needed.
You should request the crash report and preserve available evidence. Vehicle event data, scene photographs, and witness statements may be important in a center-line crash. Vehicles can be repaired or salvaged, while electronic data and camera footage can be overwritten. A timely preservation request can help keep that evidence available. You can also review how to obtain an Indiana crash report.
Every potentially applicable insurance policy should be reviewed, including uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. A passenger may have rights under more than one policy. Before giving an insurer a recorded statement, you can learn more about recorded statements and medical releases.
Why location matters in an Indiana injury claim
This crash happened on State Road 2 in unincorporated LaPorte County, and the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office is investigating. An Indiana wrongful death or injury action is usually filed in the county where the crash happened or where a defendant lives, which may make LaPorte County a likely venue.
State Road 2 is a state highway, but nothing in the reporting suggests that a road condition contributed to this crash. If a claim involving the State of Indiana were supported by the evidence, written notice would generally be required within 270 days under Ind. Code 34-13-3-6.
The general filing deadline is two years under Ind. Code 34-11-2-4. In a death case, that period runs from the date of death, so the deadlines for the two people who died may differ. Ind. Code 34-23-1-1 is Indiana's general wrongful death statute. Ind. Code 34-23-1-2 applies to the death of an adult without a spouse or dependents and limits damages. Which statute applies depends on facts not described in the reporting.
Indiana's minimum liability limits under Ind. Code 9-25-4-5 are 25,000 dollars per person and 50,000 dollars per accident. When a crash causes two deaths and other injuries, those limits can be exhausted quickly. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under Ind. Code 27-7-5-2 may provide an additional source of recovery, depending on the policies. Indiana's comparative fault rule under Ind. Code 34-51-2-6 reduces a recovery by a claimant's percentage of fault and bars recovery when that person's fault is greater than 50 percent.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office handles Indiana wrongful death and serious injury claims arising from highway crashes. Attorney Chad Delventhal can explain the estate process, obtain the crash report, seek preservation of vehicle data, review available insurance coverage, and identify applicable deadlines. Insurance companies may aggressively defend fault and coverage issues, particularly when several claims compete for limited policy proceeds.
Delventhal Law Office is a Fort Wayne personal injury firm founded by Chad E. Delventhal in 2009, and it serves people throughout Indiana. If someone in your family was harmed by another person's carelessness, you can request a free case evaluation or review information about an Indiana head-on collision claim. No outcome can be promised in any case.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
