Deputies identify victims of fatal crash on U.S. 30

LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. - Deputies have identified the victims of a fatal crash in the 6300 west block of U.S. 30 Tuesday morning.

At 7:49 a.m., deputies with the La Porte County Sheriff's Office were called to the area for a crash involving a semi and a passenger vehicle.

Emergency medical personnel from Starke County arrived and confirmed two people in the passenger vehicle had died.

According to the investigation, a white 2019 Mack semi-tractor pulling a white 2015 Hyundai trailer had just left a truck stop in the 6300 west block of U.S. 30 and was starting to travel east on U.S. 30 when the trailer separated from the semi in the eastbound driving lane.

A black 2022 Kia traveling in the eastbound driving lane struck the back of the trailer.

The driver of the Kia, identified as 36-year-old Angela Oehmen of Wanatah, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her son, identified as 14-year-old Joseph Oehmen, was also pronounced dead at the scene.

A second juvenile in the Kia was taken to the hospital for injuries to the upper body.

The driver of the semi was not injured.

The eastbound lanes were closed for several hours for the investigation, but have since reopened..

This is an ongoing investigation.

School district officials released the following statement through the sheriff's office:

The entire South Central Community Corporation - students, staff and families, are saddened and heartbroken by this tragedy.

Superintendent Anderson is asking for privacy at this time as they mourn and grieve the loss of a student. Additionally, he has asked that I be the point of contact for all matters associated with this crash.

Benjamin Anderson, Superintendent of the South Central Community School Corporation, sent the following letter to families:

Statement from Superintendent Benjamin Anderson