Woman dies in Cloverdale Township car crash

An 18-year-old Owen County woman died Monday afternoon in a single-vehicle crash on County Road 900 South. Darlene Whitaker was killed when her Volkswagen Passat collided with a tree.

Courtesy of Putnam County Sheriff's Department

CLOVERDALE -- A Poland woman was killed Monday afternoon in a single-vehicle car crash east of Cloverdale.

Darlene Whitaker, 18, was westbound on County Road 900 South at around 3:30 p.m. when she lost control of her sedan and collided with a tree.

Putnam County Sheriff Scott Stockton told the Banner Graphic that Whitaker was about 3/4 of a mile east of U.S. 231, headed toward town at "a very high rate of speed" when her early 1990s Volkswagen Passat crossed into the oncoming lane for an unknown reason.

The vehicle entered the ditch on the south side and then struck a tree. After hitting the tree with both the left front and roof, the car then spun across the road, coming to rest on the north side of the road.

PCSD Lt. Donnie Pettit, who investigated the accident, said it is unclear exactly what caused the accident aside from speed. There were no marks on the road indicating a loss of control before the vehicle left the roadway.

Whitaker had been a student at Cloverdale High School. Her family was notified early Monday evening.

A small dog who had been in the car with Whitaker was also found in the car, uninjured.

Pettit was assisted by other sheriff's deputies and Cloverdale Officer Luke Brown.

Also responding were the Cloverdale Township Volunteer Fire Department and the Putnam County Coroner's Office.