Police Change Account Of Crash That Killed U.S. Rep. Walorski

ELKHART COUNTY, IN — Police have revised their account of the crash Wednesday that killed U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski and three other people.

The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office cited new information including eyewitness and video evidence in a Facebook post correcting the details of the collision.

“The information from the preliminary investigation at the scene, as to the direction of travel of the vehicles, was not correct,” the post said.

The crash occurred about 12:30 p.m. near the intersection of State Roads 19 and 119 near Nappanee. Police originally said two vehicles collided after a car heading northbound traveled left of center and hit the SUV in which Walorski was riding, but in fact, authorities explained Thursday, it was the SUV that was going north and crossed the center line before the collision.

The silver Toyota RAV 4 was being driven by 27-year-old Zachery Potts of Mishawaka when it crossed the line, according to police. Potts, Walorski and 28-year-old Emma Thomson of Washington, D.C., were all inside the SUV and died in the incident, police said. Potts and Thomson were identified by Walorski's chief of staff as members of her team, according to CNN.

Edith Schmucker, 56, of Nappanee, was the sole occupant of a maroon Buick LeSabre that was traveling south at the time of the crash, according to police, who said Schmucker also died.

Everyone involved in the crash was wearing seatbelts and vehicle airbags did deploy, police said.

Walorski, a 58-year-old Republican, had represented Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District since 2013 and served on the House Ways and Means and House Ethics committees.

Anyone with information about the crash or who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office.