HOPE — Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School students and staff pulled together after four students were involved in a serious two-vehicle accident Wednesday near the school.
Three of the Hauser students were trapped in the wreckage for nearly an hour Wednesday while rescue personnel worked to free them.
The students involved in the accident were identified as Sarah Vanderlind, 17, the driver, of Hope; and passengers Erin Newcomb, 17, of Columbus; Veronica McKinney, 16, of Hope; and John Bragg, 17, also of Hope.
Newcomb, McKinney and Bragg were all trapped in the vehicle.
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The student most seriously injured, Newcomb, was transported by medical helicopter to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where she was listed in critical condition as of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, a hospital spokesperson said.
The other three students were taken to Columbus Regional Hospital, where Flat Rock-Hawcreek Superintendent Shawn Price said all were in stable condition.
A hospital spokesperson said Vanderlind has been transferred, with no further information available.
John Bragg is the son of Mary and Jerry Bragg, a Hope Town councilman. Jerry Bragg said his son was treated for cuts and a possible broken hand.
What happened
The accident happened at 11:55 a.m. at State Road 9 and County Road 600N, at the edge of the school campus.
Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies said a Ram truck driven by Jonathan Tappe, 26, of Taylorsville was southbound on State Road 9 pulling a trailer when Vanderlind’s Chevy Cavalier containing the students was traveling west on County Road 600N. Vanderlind had attempted to cross the state highway and did not see the oncoming truck, which struck the car’s passenger side, sheriff deputies said.
The students were believed to be headed from Hauser to IUPUC and C4 classes at Columbus North High School.
First responders administered medical aid while the three were still trapped inside. Firefighters used extrication equipment to tear off the roof and doors of Vanderlind’s car to free the students.
Reaction
For Hauser students, it’s the second emotional incident involving a classmate within a week. On Aug. 23, 18-year-old Hauser senior Trevor Frazee died after suffering a acute heart-related issue at his home. Frazee attended Hauser’s alternative school program.
Administrators and staff took extra steps Wednesday to protect the student body in the wake of that tragedy, Price said.
“This would be hard on anybody who has gone through all these circumstances,” Price said.
After going to Columbus Regional to check on the students there, Price drove to Indianapolis on Wednesday night to join Hauser High School Principal David Wintin, who had already traveled there to check on Newcomb.
“We’re dealing with this the best that we can,” Price said of the students’ reaction to having four of their classmates involved in such a serious accident. “Our hearts and thoughts are with the families right now.”
The Flat Rock-Hawcreek campus at 9273 State Road 9, Hope, includes Hope Elementary and Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School, where classes are conducted under a single roof to serve 900 K-12 students. The accident happened almost right in front of the school.
Classmates like family
Price said the school is small enough that students who attend Hauser feel like their classmates are family.
“When you’re a family, it affects all of us,” he said. “We’re supporting one another through this.”
Price expressed his gratitude to the outpouring of support the school had received from the Bartholomew County community, including offers to help with counseling and reassurances for ongoing help in the future.
While emergency crews were at the accident scene Wednesday, the high school went into a soft lockdown, meaning students were not allowed to leave the school, Wintin said.
Hauser staff members took cold water bottles out to the first responders, wearing “This is Hauser” T-shirts that were planned for an updated faculty photo to be taken Wednesday. They watched as firefighters, paramedics and police worked to give medical assistance to the students while trying to peel away the car from around them.
Siblings of the students involved in the accident were immediately called to the office to be notified, Wintin said.
After all the injured students were taken to the hospital, Wintin spoke to students having lunch in the cafeteria, notifying them about the accident and giving them what information he had about it.
The school used its afternoon resource period Wednesday to have all students and staff meet in the Hauser gym to talk about moving forward from the recent tragic events, Wintin said.
Counseling students
During that meeting, Wintin asked students to remember that grief counseling and individual counseling was available and that it was OK for Hauser students to ask for help.
“We have had a rough week. We know you all have experienced losses of different types in your lives. However, the events of the past week have impacted you, however you feel, we want you to know that we care,” Wint told the students. “We also understand that there will likely be some lingering effects.”
Wintin asked the students to look out for each other and to listen to each other, as each student begins moving forward at their own pace.
“That task of moving forward will be at a slower pace for some us than it is for others. That’s OK, too,” he said. “But today we just need to take that first step.”
Members of the community were notified of the accident by the school corporation on Twitter.
“We had an accident on Highway 9 in front of Hauser this afternoon. The parents of the students involved have been notified. The four students involved in the crash have been stabilized and transported to hospitals,” it said.
Hope Town Marshal Matt Tallent was the first officer to arrive at the crash scene, and found Vanderlind outside the car when he arrived.
Sheriff deputies said Tappe was not injured. However, both drivers were taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to be checked, deputies said.
The impact of the collision was so strong that the Cavalier “molded around the truck,” Tallent said. “The force just crumpled the car around two students seated on the passenger side.”
Emergency response
Three ambulances arrived within minutes.
Tallent requested one and then a second medical helicopter.
One Lifeline helicopter landed on the southwest corner of the Hauser campus while first-responders were still cutting off the roof of the car to extricate the three students.
The second medical helicopter was called off at 12:41 p.m. after all the victims had been removed from the wreckage, according to reports.
While emergency crews were on the scene, traffic was backed up substantially on State Road 9 from both directions for more than an hour.
By 1:10 p.m., an officer began allowing groups of vehicles to periodically move through the intersection. The accident scene was finally cleared shortly before 2:30 p.m.
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A 19-year-old man died Tuesday afternoon after he was involved in a two-vehicle crash near Scipio. See story on Page A6.
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