Congresswoman Jackie Walorski's driver crossed lanes before deadly crash, police now say

ELKHART COUNTY — The crash that killed U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and three other people Wednesday happened after the car they were traveling in crossed a center line and struck another vehicle, officials now say.

The Elkhart County Sheriff's Office originally said it was the second vehicle that crossed over and struck an SUV occupied by Walorski and two of her staffers — Emma Thomson and Zachery Potts, who was driving at the time.

The driver of the second vehicle, Edith Schmucker, was also pronounced dead at the scene.

The sheriff's office said in an update Thursday Walorski and her staffers were traveling northbound on IN 19 in an SUV when the vehicle crossed over "for reasons that are unknown at this time."

At the same time, Schmucker was traveling northbound on IN 19 south of IN 119 when her vehicle was struck by the SUV with Walorski inside.

"All occupants of both vehicles were confirmed to have been wearing seatbelts and airbags did deploy," the sheriff's office said.

Potts was a member of the St. Joseph County Republican Party and the Indiana Republican State Committee. Thomson was Walorski’s communications director.

According to her congressional biography, Walorski was born in South Bend and served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2004 to 2010 before being elected to the U.S. Congress in 2013.

She served Indiana's second Congressional district.

The sheriff's office has asked anyone who may have witnessed the crash or have more information to contact them at 574-891-2300.