11-Year-Old Dies When Hit By Car

NORTH WEBSTER - An 11-year-old North Webster boy was killed about 3:38 p.m. Tuesday when he rode his bicycle into the path of a vehicle.

According to a North Webster Police Department press release, Christopher R. Sturgill, 11, North Webster, was traveling eastbound in the 300 block of North Main Street, North Webster, and rode into the path of a northbound vehicle driven by Joseph T. Feldman, 17, of 59 EMS W-19 Lane, North Webster.

After colliding with Feldman's vehicle, Sturgill then struck the side of a southbound vehicle driven by Donna Hinsdale, 73, of 6658 N. Second Trail, North Webster.

Sturgill was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Sturgill was a fifth-grade student at North Webster Elementary School in Mitch Willaman's class.

According to North Webster Elementary School Principal Jim Garner, the administration met with the school staff first thing this morning to inform them of the accident and how to handle it. Local ministers, as well as guidance counselors, were contacted to come to the school from other schools in the school corporation.

Staff began telling the students of Sturgill's death beginning with the fifth grade and worked down from there. Some students came out of their classes to talk more about the accident and Garner said each child reacted differently, but for the most part, he said, the students handled the news "pretty good."

Garner described Sturgill as a "pretty smiley guy, very likeable." He said Sturgill was having a good year academically and had bonded well with his teacher. He played baseball and had signed up for the school choir.

The accident remains under investigation by the North Webster Police Department and the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.

Assisting at the scene were officers of the KCSD, North Webster EMS, North Webster Fire Dept, Samaritan and the Kosciusko County Coroner's Office.