Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A brother and sister, both teen-agers, were killed Friday afternoon in a three-vehicle collision on Ind. 15 at Clearwater Drive, near Warsaw.
A broken gas main caused by the accident made for a tense situation as police tried to clear the scene.
Clifton W. Wease, 14, West Clearwater Drive, Warsaw, suffered head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the 3:15 p.m. accident. His sister, Kimberly W. Wease, 16, suffered head injuries and was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital, where she died in the emergency room.
According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Office, Kimberly Wease was southbound on Ind. 15 and was stopped waiting for traffic to clear to make a lefthand turn onto Clearwater Drive.
Police believe that Wease's car was first struck from behind by a semi tractor-trailer driven by Richard L. Harris, 66, CR 100N, Warsaw. The impact apparently forced Wease's car sideways into the northbound lane of Ind. 15, where it was struck broadside on the passenger side by a car driven by Carrole A. Beezley, 42, EMS B44 Lane, Leesburg. Beezley complained of chest pain. She was treated in the emergency room at KCH and released.
After the vehicles collided, Harris' rig continued southbound on Ind. 15 before leaving the roadway and burying the front end of the cab in a ditch, where his vehicle struck a NIPSCO gas main.
Officials feared an explosion could occur because of the natural gas being blown out of the pressurized main. At one point, equipment and people were ordered to back another 100 feet from the scene. However, no evacuation of homes was ordered in the area.
The state highway remained closed for about four hours, reopening about 7 p.m. after the danger of explosion was lifted. NIPSCO officials told the sheriff's office that about 600 customers were affected by the gas main being shut down for repair. The work was expected to take eight to 10 hours to complete, and all gas customers were to be notified before the line could be reopened.
Assisting at the scene were personnel from the Warsaw Police Department, Department of Natural Resources, Leesburg and Warsaw fire departments, Plain and Multi-Township emergency medical services, the State Highway Department and the Kosciusko County Coroner's Office.
The accident, marking the 20th and 21st traffic fatalities in the county this year, remains under investigation. This is the second fatal auto accident this week; a Warsaw woman was killed in a one-vehicle accident Monday on CR 750E, near North Webster.
