9-year-old dies in White County crash

WHITE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - White County officials say a 9-year-old girl died at St. Elizabeth East Hospital late Friday night, after being involved in a car crash Friday afternoon. This is the fourth fatality from this crash.

The crash happened on Friday around 3:50 p.m. on the curve where US 24 meets County Road 50 South, about a mile and a half east of Reynolds.

Sheriff Patrick Shafer said a white car driven by 67-year-old Ronald Longpre of Mancelona, Michigan, was going east and crossed the center line for an unknown reason. The car side-swiped a tan pickup truck driving in the opposite direction.

The tan pickup ended up in the ditch and the white car then hit a second pickup truck.

Shafer said Longpre's wife, 62-year-old Sandra Longpre, was in the passenger seat of the car. 13-year-old John Longpre II, 9-year-old Erin Longpre, and 11-year-old Brandon Longpre,  were in the backseat of the car. Longpre and his wife, as well as John Longpre II, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Erin Longpre and Brandon Longpre were taken to St. Elizabeth East Hospital in Lafayette, where Erin died late Friday evening. Brandon was airlifted from St. Elizabeth East to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. As of Saturday evening, Brandon remains in critical condition.

The three children live in Indianapolis with their parents, and were traveling in the car with their grandparents.

The driver of the tan truck, 75-year-old Vernon Furrer of Wolcott, and his passenger, 72-year-old Janet Furrer, did not receive medical attention at the scene.

The driver of the red truck, 44-year-old Steven Boyd of Wolcott, also did not receive medical attention at the scene.

The crash closed US 24 for more than four and a half hours on Friday while police investigated the crash. The crash remains under investigation.