UPDATE @ 10:29 a.m. (Jan 4.):
We have obtained the report for the crash that killed two Franklin Monroe High School students last month.
Hudson and Katlynn Nestor were killed when the vehicle they were driving struck a semi at the intersection of Gettysburg Pitsburg Road on Dec. 21.
According to the crash report, Hudson Nestor was not believed to under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash.
The semi driver, James Dunkel, had drug and alcohol blood tests administered, however the results from those tests are not yet known.
Hudson Nestor was wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision, however his sister, Katlynn, was not, according to the report.
The road was wet at the time of the crash.
According to the report, the semi being driven by Dunkel was turning south onto Gettysburg Pitsburg from westbound Neff Road, when the vehicle being driven by Hudson Nestor collided with the semi.
Nestor did not have a stop sign, however Dunkel did, the report indicated.
An exact cause for the crash listed as “unknown” in the report.
At last check no citations have been issued yet in the crash.
UPDATE @ 11:30 a.m. (Dec. 23):
The Darke County Sheriff’s Office expects its investigation into a crash that killed two teen siblings could take several weeks.
According to Chief Deputy Mark Whittaker, the department’s crash reconstruction team returned to the site on Monday night’s crash on Tuesday to collect additional evidence and the department is also waiting for forensic evidence to be returned by the coroner’s office.
No charges or citations have been issued in connection the crash, however following the investigation its possible evidence will be presented to the prosecutor’s office for possible charges.
Deputies still have not determined who was at fault during the crash, Whittaker said.
As a result of the tragedy, Whittaker said the sheriff’s office will initiate a critical incident debriefing team that will be able to discuss the crash with first responders and others involved to help them cope with the incident
UPDATE @ 6 p.m. (Dec. 22)
Two teenage siblings were killed in a crash Monday night in Darke County after their car collided with a semi-tractor trailer.
Hudson Nestor, 17, and Katlynn Nestor, 13, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Nestor teens were students at the nearby Franklin Monroe school. A candlelight vigil was held Tuesday night at the school, and the district canceled all athletic events for the night.
Deputies said their 1997 Honda sedan drove under a tractor-trailer and then struck a tree near the intersection of Gettysburg-Pitsburg and Neff roads.
Darke County Sheriff Toby Spencer said the crash is under investigation and could take some time due to the “seriousness of this one. We want to get it right.”
Spencer said the weather conditions Monday night were “not conducive to good driving.”
“It was misty and hampered visibility,” he said. “It just tears your heart out. I personally know these kids and the families. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare. It’s heart-wrenching.”
Students on Tuesday were met with school counselors, grief counselors and clergy to assist with the grieving process, said Superintendent Jeff Patrick in a release.
Walker Mcvey, a junior at Franklin Monroe, said he knew Hudson well. Hudson was a standout baseball player who knew much about cars, Mcvey said.
“One of the nicest guys at our school; no one ever had a problem with him,” Mcvey said.
Mcvey and other students said both siblings would always go out of their way to make someone else smile.
“School was definitely hard,” Mcvey said Tuesday. “It’s definitely a shock; you always hear about this stuff on the news, but you never think it’s going to happen to anyone you know.”
Trevor Osswald, an eighth grader at nearby Arcanum Butler schools, said he knew Katlynn and will remember most her smile.
“She was always happy, nice, kind,” Osswald said. “Just like her brother she’d step out of the way to do anything just to make somebody smile.”
Funeral services for the Nestors will be held at the Castine Church of the Brethren in Arcanum. A visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Dec. 28 with a funeral at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 29.
The driver of the semi, James Dunkel, 64, of LaGrange, Ind., was not injured in the crash.
No charges or citations have been issued as deputies continue to investigate.
A total of 12 people have been killed in eight crashes this year in Darke County.
“That’s way too many,” Spencer said. “I wish I had a remedy to take care of that, but I can’t seem to put a finger on it.”
UPDATE @ 5:51 p.m. (Dec. 22):
Walker Mcvey, a junior at Franklin Monroe, said he knew Hudson well. Hudson was a standout baseball player who knew much about cars, Mcvey said.
“One of the nicest guys at our school; no one ever had a problem with him,” Mcvey said.
Mcvey and other students said both siblings would always go out of their way to make someone else smile.
“School was definitely hard,” Mcvey said Tuesday. “It’s definitely a shock; you always hear about this stuff on the news, but you never think it’s going to happen to anyone you know.”
Trevor Osswald, an eighth grader at nearby Arcanum Butler schools, said he knew Katlynn and will remember most her smile.
“She was always happy, nice, kind,” Osswald said. “Just like her brother she’d step out of the way to do anything just to make somebody smile.”
Funeral services for the Nestors will be held at the Castine Church of the Brethren in Arcanum. A visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Dec. 28 with a funeral at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 29.
UPDATE @ 12:03 p.m. (Dec. 22):
School officials announced that all athletic events have been cancelled for this evening for the Franklin Monroe school district.
A candlelight vigil is scheduled to be held at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 22 in the south parking lot at Franklin Monroe Local School.
UPDATE @ 11:55 a.m. (Dec. 22):
Darke County Sheriff Toby Spencer said this morning the crash is under investigation and could take some time due to the “seriousness of this one. We want to get it right.”
It’s the eighth crash this year in Darke County that’s involved fatalities, and a total of 12 people have been killed, Spencer said.
“That’s way too many,” Spencer said. “I wish I had a remedy to take care of that, but I can’t seem to put a finger on it.”
Spencer said the weather conditions Monday night were “not conducive to good driving.”
“It was misty and hampered visibility,” he said. “It just tears your heart out. I personally know these kids and the families. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare. It’s heart-wrenching.”
UPDATE @ 10:08 a.m. (Dec. 22)
Jeff Patrick, Superintendent of the Franklin Monroe Local School District, issued a statement Tuesday morning:
“Last evening there was a fatal car crash that involved two Franklin Monroe students. As students arrived at school today, they were met by school counselors, grief counselors, clergymen, and school personnel to assist the students with the grieving process. Please keep the family and the entire FM community in your thoughts and prayers as we all try to get through this difficult situation. Thank you for your continued support. All other questions can be referred to the Darke County Sheriff’s department as they continue their investigation into the fatal car accident that did involve two Franklin Monroe students. Thank you.”
UPDATE @ 2:30 a.m. (Dec. 22)
The Darke County Sheriff’s Office said two teenage siblings were the victims of a fatal crash Monday night.
In a release, deputies said Hudson Nestor, 17, and his sister Katlynn Nestor, 13, were pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies said their 1997 Honda sedan drove under a trailer and then struck a tree at the intersection of Gettysburg-Pitsburg and Neff roads.
The Nestor teens were students at the nearby Franklin Monroe school.
The driver of the semitrailer, James Dunkel, 64, of LaGrange, Indiana was not injured in the crash.
No charges or citations have been issued as deputies continue to investigate the crash. The findings of the case will be forwarded to the Darke County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Grief counselors are expected to be available at Franklin Monroe today.
UPDATE @ 9:55 p.m. (Dec. 21)
Two people in a four-door sedan are believed to have been killed in a collision with the semitrailer, said Chief Deputy Mark Whittaker with the Darke County Sheriff’s Office.
Notification is being made to family members and officers have started to reconstruct the crash, according to Whittaker.
Whittaker said the sedan was northbound on Gettysburg Pitsburg Road and the semitrailer was turning from Neff Road to southbound Gettysburg Pitsburg.
The sedan traveled under the semitrailer. The truck driver was not hurt and provided a statement to deputies. One witness also provided a statement to the sheriff’s office.
Whittaker said accident reconstructionists are working piece together exactly what happened and more information will be released soon from the sheriff’s office.
A coroner’s investigator is also on scene. A blue tarp is covering the wrecked sedan.
UPDATE @ 9:18 p.m. (Dec. 21)
Traffic is blocked right now on Gettysburg Pitsburg Road near Neff Road as the Darke County Sheriff’s Office investigates the crash.
Caution tape is up around the crash scene, which involves a semitrailer and a heavily damaged car that is in an adjacent field.
We’re working to learn more about what happened.
FIRST REPORT
Emergency crews in Darke County are responding to a serious crash at Neff Road and Gettysburg Pitsburg Road.
The crash, involving a semitrailer and another vehicle, was reported around 7:46 p.m.
We have a crew en route to the scene and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
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