Julie Schnell, Daughter Killed in Truck Accident in Dubois County, IN
Dubois County, IN -- December 8, 2022, Julie Schnell and her daughter were killed, her other daughter injured, after a truck accident.
Investigators said that the incident happened at around 7:10 a.m. along Highway 64 between the towns of Birdeye and St. Anthony.
Officials said that 44-year-old Julie Schnell and her two daughters, ages 15 and 13, were in a vehicle traveling along the highway. Somehow, a collision occurred involving a tanker truck. Due to the collision, Schnell and her 13-year-old daughter sustained fatal injuries. The 15-year-old girl continues to recover.
Right now, additional details about the crash cannot be confirmed. Investigations are ongoing.
Commentary on Julie Schnell Truck Accident in Dubois County
In some reports, authorities brought up lighting and wet roads as potential contributing factors. That's important to recognize, and those factors can certainly play a role in a deadly truck wreck. But my concern with details like that is they can sometimes distract authorities who may already have limited time, experience, and equipment with which to look into the crash. That's when crucial details slip through the cracks.
Simply put, commercial truck wrecks are anything but straight-forward. The reason so many people come to professionals like me is because they find authorities rarely get the whole story. And the reason I rely on independent accident reconstructionists is because I know families deserve to know that no stone went unturned. If people just take initial details for granted or rely solely on the first set of facts that come to light, they tend to find that getting people the help and the resolution they deserve is an insurmountable challenge.
Ultimately, I can't say what happened here or who or what is to blame. What I can say, however, is that there are loved ones out there whose lives have been turned upside down due to this wreck. They shouldn't have to wonder whether or not they're going to get answers. Hopefully someone recognizes that to ensure the right people are getting them the answers they deserve, sooner rather than later.
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