Published: April 03, 2009 11:05 am      

Ind. 15 crash injures Pennsylvania woman

A Pennsylvania woman was seriously injured in a fiery crash reported at Ind. 15 south of C.R. 26 at 8:40 p.m. Thursday.

According to a report by the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, a 2002 Jeep Liberty was driven by Lynn A. Coppel, 54, 101 White Ave., apt. 2-C, Marcus Hook, Pa., south on Ind. 15 when she apparently lost control and the Jeep went off the east side of the highway.

The Jeep hit a tree and rolled onto its side. A fire started in the dashboard. Two passersby broke windows in the Jeep and removed the driver from the Jeep and she lost consciousness, witnesses said.

A Jefferson Township Fire Department ambulance crew took the victim to a landing site about a mile from the crash and a Medflight helicopter took her to South Bend Memorial Hospital for treatment.

She was in the hospital’s intensive care unit this morning.

The sheriff’s report said she suffered head and internal injuries.

The initial sheriff’s report identified the driver as the registered owner of the Jeep. The report said the driver did not have identication or a license with her. All contents of the vehicle were burned.