WABASH – An Akron man and his 13-year-old daughter died in a head-on automobile accident Friday evening in Wabash County. Police said the accident happened at around 5:30 p.m. on the Eel River Bridge on Ind. 15N, north of CR 800N. According to police, Julia Brainerd, 49, of Warsaw, was driving southbound on Ind. 15. As she was passing another vehicle, she lost control of the car due to icy road conditions. Her car crossed the center line and hit a northbound car head on. Police said the vehicle that was hit head-on was driven by John LeeRoy Arceneaux, 50, of Akron. He was killed on impact. His passenger, daughter Brittany Arceneaux, 13, also of Akron, was killed on impact. Both died of blunt force trauma. Police said both people were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Brittany was an eighth-grader at Tippecanoe Valley Middle School. Her father was employed at OJC Products, North Manchester. Brainerd was transported to Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, and was listed in stable condition. Police said they are still investigating the accident. John LeeRoy and his daughter, Brittany’s obituaries appear in today’s edition of the Times-Union.
