Late Thursday morning, around 11:31 a.m., life changed forever on the stretch of State Road 15 just north of Waubee Road in northern Van Buren Township, in Kosciusko County, Indiana. What first responders encountered was the aftermath of a violent head-on collision between a pickup and a small car — a crash that would claim two lives and leave a community reeling.
According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, a 68-year-old Goshen resident, Dale E. Wert, was driving a Chevrolet Silverado when it collided directly with a Hyundai Accent being driven by 19-year-old Sarah A. Mischke of Milford. When deputies and emergency crews arrived, the impact was clear — both vehicles badly mangled, and both drivers gravely wounded.
Sarah Mischke was pronounced dead at the scene by Kosciusko County Coroner Tyler Huffer, due to the severity of the injuries she had suffered. Wert was rushed by Lutheran EMS to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne with critical injuries, but despite intensive medical care he later succumbed to his injuries.
At this time, investigators say the cause of the crash remains undetermined. The FACT Team of Kosciusko County continues to piece together how the two vehicles came into each other’s direct path. Also of note: a third vehicle, though not directly involved in the collision, sustained damage from debris, highlighting the violent nature of the impact.
Multiple agencies responded to the incident: the Milford Police Department, Milford Fire Department, Plain Township Fire Department, the county 911 dispatch center, Coroner’s Office, and a local towing service. Their rapid involvement underscores how serious and complex the situation was on the scene. The crash led to road closures along SR 15 while officials processed the scene and began their investigative work.
Both families and the wider community are now grappling with loss. A young woman’s life cut short. A man in the final years of his own life facing a sudden end. All in a single moment of collision. As investigators continue to examine witness accounts, vehicle positioning, road conditions and possible factors, the community waits for answers — and for healing.
In the days ahead, authorities urge anyone with information about the incident — whether they were driving nearby, witnessed the moments just before impact, or noticed anything unusual on SR 15 that morning — to come forward. The hope is that by knowing how it happened, similar tragedies might someday be prevented.
