Pierceton Woman Charged In June Traffic Death
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
A Pierceton woman was charged Friday morning with driving while intoxicated causing death.
Tonya P. Gudakunst, 35, of 6935 E. South Barbee, Pierceton, was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 12:25 a.m. Friday on the charge and also was arrested on a warrant for failure to appear in another matter. Her bond was set at $10,000.
In a June 28 traffic accident, Lisa Schmucker, 23, was a passenger in a car driven by her husband, Chancy D. Schmucker, 24, when the car was struck from behind by a Jeep driven by Gudakunst. Upon impact, the Schmucker car was pushed into oncoming traffic, where it was hit by a truck driven by Leonard N. Seibel Jr., 48, of Pennsylvania. The car then came to rest against a utility pole, leaving Lisa Schmucker and her 4-year-old daughter, Davanna, trapped in the back seat of the car.
Lisa Schmucker suffered internal injuries in the accident, and Davanna Schmucker, who was strapped into a child safety seat, suffered head injuries. Both were airlifted to Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne, from which the child was discharged. Lisa Schmucker died June 30 as a result of her injuries.
Eight people were injured in the accident.
Chancy Schmucker suffered head, shoulder and finger injuries and was first taken to Whitley Memorial Hospital, Columbia City, before being transferred to Parkview. He was released from hospitalization later that day. A front-seat passenger in Schmucker's car, Jeff Sutton, 23, suffered multiple injuries and was airlifted to Parkview.
Gudakunst and two children in her vehicle were treated for their injuries at Kosciusko Community Hospital and released. Seibel also was treated at KCH and released the day of the accident.
Gudakunst later tested positive for marijuana.
It is standard procedure of the KCSD to test drivers for drug and alcohol use after serious traffic accidents. [[In-content Ad]]
A Pierceton woman was charged Friday morning with driving while intoxicated causing death.
Tonya P. Gudakunst, 35, of 6935 E. South Barbee, Pierceton, was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 12:25 a.m. Friday on the charge and also was arrested on a warrant for failure to appear in another matter. Her bond was set at $10,000.
In a June 28 traffic accident, Lisa Schmucker, 23, was a passenger in a car driven by her husband, Chancy D. Schmucker, 24, when the car was struck from behind by a Jeep driven by Gudakunst. Upon impact, the Schmucker car was pushed into oncoming traffic, where it was hit by a truck driven by Leonard N. Seibel Jr., 48, of Pennsylvania. The car then came to rest against a utility pole, leaving Lisa Schmucker and her 4-year-old daughter, Davanna, trapped in the back seat of the car.
Lisa Schmucker suffered internal injuries in the accident, and Davanna Schmucker, who was strapped into a child safety seat, suffered head injuries. Both were airlifted to Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne, from which the child was discharged. Lisa Schmucker died June 30 as a result of her injuries.
Eight people were injured in the accident.
Chancy Schmucker suffered head, shoulder and finger injuries and was first taken to Whitley Memorial Hospital, Columbia City, before being transferred to Parkview. He was released from hospitalization later that day. A front-seat passenger in Schmucker's car, Jeff Sutton, 23, suffered multiple injuries and was airlifted to Parkview.
Gudakunst and two children in her vehicle were treated for their injuries at Kosciusko Community Hospital and released. Seibel also was treated at KCH and released the day of the accident.
Gudakunst later tested positive for marijuana.
It is standard procedure of the KCSD to test drivers for drug and alcohol use after serious traffic accidents. [[In-content Ad]]