her life seemed to be going quite well....glad her puppy made it though...
A woman was killed Wednesday when a dump truck filled with gravel rolled on top of her sport utility vehicle, crushing it and trapping her inside.
The crash occurred about 3 p.m. at U.S. 33 and Blue Lake Road, just north of Churubusco, shutting down traffic along the busy highway in both directions for more than three hours.
The woman, Tracy L. Stillwell, 32, of Churubusco, was driving north on U.S. 33 in a maroon 2003 Chevrolet Blazer when she stopped to turn left onto Blue Lake Road, police said.
When the driver of the northbound dump truck, John Christoff, 36, saw that traffic had slowed, he braked and swerved into the southbound lane as the woman began to turn. The dump truck struck the SUV, then rolled on top of it, pinning Stillwell inside, police said.
The dump truck is owned by Jasper Construction Trucking Inc., of Albion, police said.
A bucket loader had to be called to the scene to unload gravel from the bed of the dump truck, with the last of the gravel removed by shovels wielded by rescue personnel.
After all the gravel was removed and piled on the side of U.S. 33, lines were hooked to the underside of the dump truck, allowing a large tow truck to pull the dump truck upright. Rescue workers then had to extricate Stillwell from the SUV.
While rescue workers and police worked, Ann Bishir watched from the cab of a truck, holding a trembling dog in her arms.
When the crash occurred, Bishir and her husband were on their way home, she said. Her husband saw something and told her to call 911.
The dog had been in the woman’s SUV, Bishir said. It was unclear how the dog escaped.
The dog, which appeared to be a terrier, was white with black and brown patches. Aside from its fear, it appeared to have no injuries other than a small scratch on its nose.
Bishir said she told police they would keep the dog until the woman’s family is notified.
Stillwell, who was declared dead at the scene, appeared to have died from blunt force trauma, Whitley County Coroner Scott Smith said.
Christoff was uninjured. He was cited for “speed too fast to avoid collision,” police said. The crash remains under investigation.
http://www.mydeathspace.com/article/2007/01/20/Tracy_Stillwell_(32)_was_crushed_to_death_when_a_d ump_truck_tipped_over_onto_her_SUV
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