Daily Journal staff reports
The Center Grove community is mourning the death of a high school student killed in a car crash early Friday morning.
Sarah Kish, 17, died in an accident that occurred on State Road 135, according to the Marion County Coroner’s Office.
She was a junior at Center Grove High School and a member of the track and cross-country teams, the school said.
High school principal Jeffry M. Henderson sent a message to the community Friday afternoon expressing condolences to her friends and family.
“The death of a young person is difficult for all of us, but can be especially difficult for teens,” Henderson wrote. “Our counselors are always available for students or staff. Counselors and members of the clergy will be available on Tuesday morning when students return from the Presidents Day holiday.”
The accident happened about 6:40 a.m. Friday. Kish’s vehicle was struck by another vehicle in the driver’s side door, and she was critically injured, Greenwood Police Department Assistant Chief Matt Fillenwarth said.
Investigators continue to investigate the accident, which happened just south of Curry Road, Fillenwarth said.
When emergency workers arrived, Kish was in critical condition. She was taken to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital for surgery, but doctors were unable to save her. She was pronounced dead at the hospital, Fillenwarth said.
The other driver was headed south on State Road 135 in an SUV owned by Johnson County Animal Control. The employee was headed to work in Franklin in one of the department’s take-home on-call vehicles, animal control director Michael Delp said.
He said his employee was distraught over the accident and Kish’s death.
“Our hearts are broken for Sarah’s family and our prayers go out to them,” Delp said. “It’s just awful. A 17-year-old girl. Just awful.”
His employee was sore from the accident, and the vehicle had significant damage.
As is standard in serious or fatal accident investigations, police conduct blood tests on all drivers. Police have no reason to suspect anything criminal happened, Fillenwarth said.
