LaPorte County, Indiana (September 5, 2026) – Just before 7 p.m. on Saturday, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office responded to a single-vehicle crash in the 7000 East block of State Road 104 that killed a Walkerton woman.
Police say 42-year-old Irene Pantle of Walkerton was driving east on State Road 104 when her vehicle left the road and struck a tree. Pantle was pronounced dead at the scene.
There is no word yet on what caused Pantle to leave the roadway. Police have submitted a toxicology test, and the results are still pending.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
A single-car crash that ends in sudden loss leaves a family searching for answers no accident report can fully provide right now.
What an Open Investigation Means for Pantle’s Family
An open case doesn’t have to mean an open-ended wait for the family. Indiana law lets a wrongful death claim move forward while the sheriff’s office finishes its work.
- A wrongful death claim can proceed while the investigation continues and while toxicology results are pending
- Investigators and attorneys typically look at a medical event, road debris, a mechanical failure, an animal in the roadway, or a moment of distraction as possible reasons a vehicle leaves the road without warning
- A tire, steering, or brake failure could point to a manufacturer or a repair shop, an angle our Indiana car accident lawyers can help investigate once more facts are known
- In Indiana, a wrongful death claim is generally brought by the personal representative of the estate, which is often one of the first practical steps a family takes after a loss like this
Under Indiana Code 34-23-1-1, a wrongful death claim generally must be filed within two years of the date of death. That deadline falls on September 5, 2028.
Contact Our Indiana Car Accident Attorneys
Losing a family member in a crash that still has no clear explanation is its own kind of hard, filled with waiting and unanswered questions.
Our Indiana wrongful death attorneys have spent decades helping families get real answers when a loved one dies in a single-vehicle crash, working alongside accident reconstruction experts when the official investigation leaves gaps.
Vehicle data, roadway conditions, and toxicology results can all shift once an investigation closes, so preserving what exists now protects the family’s options later.
We take these cases on contingency, so there’s no fee unless we win and nothing owed upfront.
Why Indiana families trust Langer & Langer:
- Founded 1980, over 45 years serving Indiana families
- 100+ years of combined legal experience
- Recognized by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, American College of Trial Lawyers
Talk With an Indiana Auto Accident Attorney at (219) 245-5881
Call anytime for a free, no-obligation conversation about what your family is facing and what the investigation could still reveal.
