Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MENTONE - A Tippecanoe Valley High School teacher died this morning from injuries suffered in a two-car accident on Ind. 19 near CR 700S.
Don R. Craw, 52, of 4684 N. Ind. 25, Rochester, was pronounced dead at Kosciusko Community Hospital following a collision with Fleet M. Whitmeyer, 22, Denver.
Whitmeyer was being treated late this morning at Kosciusko Community Hospital and a condition report was unavailable.
According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, Craw was southbound on Ind. 19 when he traveled left of center for an unknown reason. He overcorrected and went off the west side of the road, then swerved again to avoid hitting a utility pole. Traveling across the center line, his car struck the northbound car driven by Whitmeyer.
The Craw vehicle then caught fire briefly before being extinguished by the Mentone Fire Department.
Craw, who teaches Spanish, worked for TVHS for 26 years.
The school is offering a crisis plan designed to deal with such occurrences, according to school officials. Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department investigated the accident. Mentone Fire and EMS units also were at the scene.
