County snowplow and Starke County Ambulance collide

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 1:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

On Jan. 16 at 9:46 a.m. Marshall County Police investigated an accident between a Marshall County snowplow and an ambulance from Starke County. The crash was at the intersection of Union and 6B Roads.

Details released from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department at the request of GIANT fm WTCA state that the county snowplow was coming over the hillcrest east of the intersection and the driver told police as he approached the intersection, he applied the brakes but due to the snow and slush on the roadway, he was unable to stop for the stop sign. The snowplow continued into the intersection and collided with a Starke County ambulance.

The ambulance driver told the county police officer he attempted to stop and avoid the collision but could not stop and crashed into the passenger’s door of the snowplow.

Last week during the Starke County Commissioners meeting, EMS Director Jim Garner told them the ambulance was a total loss. He said there were no injuries but the employees and the passenger they were transporting were checked out at the hospital.

Garner told the Starke County Commissioners that he had recently put $3,000 worth of new tires on the truck and said he paid the insurance company $1,000 to keep the totaled ambulance. Garner said the ambulance box was not damaged in the crash but the front end of the chassis was pushed back six inches into the frame.

County Highway Superintendent Jason Peters told GIANT fm WTCA that he informed the commissioners of the incident the day it happened. He also said the damage to the snowplow was estimated at $4,904 and the county has already received the check from the insurance company.