One person dead after fiery crash in Cass County Sunday

Sunday, July 6, 2025 at 4:14 PM

By Staff report

A fiery two-vehicle crash on US 24 has left one person dead and another seriously injured early Sunday.

According to the Cass County Sheriff's Office, dispatch received a call about a crash involving two vehicles near County Road 700 E and US 24. An initial scene assessment determined Lillian Shepherd, 24, of Peru was traveling eastbound in a 2002 Jeep Liberty on US 24 when her vehicle was struck head-on by a 2003 Toyota Echo traveling westbound in the wrong traffic lane.

Both vehicles burst into flames and had to be extinguished by firefighters. Shepherd was able to escape from the Jeep. Due to her severe injuries she was eventually flown from the scene to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.

The male driver of the Toyota has not been positively identified and died from his injuries sustained from the crash and fire. The Cass County Sheriff's Office and Cass County Coroner's Office is still investigating the crash and attempting to identify the driver of the Toyota. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriff's Office at 574-753-7800.