Newlywed killed in Tuesday crash; husband, daughter injured
By Erin Guerra Post-Tribune correspondent February 6, 2013 12:10PM
This is one of the vehicles involved in a fatal two-car crash on U.S. 20 in Porter County on Tuesday, February 5, 2013. Two other adults and four children were also injured in the crash, police said, including a 4-year-old whom police have been unable to identify because she can't remember her name. | Photo provided~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 8, 2013 7:35AM
PINES — A newly married woman died in a Tuesday afternoon crash on U.S. 20 in Pine Township that seriously injured her husband and daughter.
Jacquelyn Reed, 24, who recently moved from Merrillville to Michigan City, was the passenger in the gold 1999 Ford Taurus that Jacob Banks, 24, recently of Gary, lost control of on the ice- and slush-covered road at 4:29 p.m. Tuesday, just west of the LaPorte County Line Road. The Taurus spun over the center line, and Reed’s side of the car was T-boned by a westbound green 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer.
Banks and the small child in the back seat were taken to Franciscan St. Anthony Health in Michigan City before Banks, with life-threatening injuries, was transferred to Memorial Hospital of South Bend.
Even before police were able to identify the girl, who broke both her legs, she was transferred to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Late Tuesday night police reached Reed’s family and learned the girl was her daughter, Janiyah Spencer. Police think she is 5, but her year of birth is unclear, as hospital paperwork and the family gave different years.
The driver of the Trailblazer was Sasha Betancourt, 25, with her children William Buchanan, 8; Rush Wisniewski, 3; and Julia Torez, 10 months. All were hurt and taken to Franciscan St. Anthony in Michigan City, but their injuries are not life-threatening.
Police are continuing to investigate the crash.
