HOWARD COUNTY CAR ACCIDENT CLAIMS TWO LIVES

A Howard County car accident has claimed the lives of two Kokomo residents. Yesterday afternoon officers from the Indiana State Police and the Howard County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two vehicle crash on State Road 22 at Howard County Road 400 East. The preliminary crash investigation revealed that Robert Hostetler, 86, of Kokomo was driving a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis southbound on Howard County Road 400 East, approaching a stop sign at State Road 22. The Mercury stopped for the stop sign, but failed to yield to traffic on State Road 22. The Mercury pulled into the path of a westbound 2000 Chevrolet Venture mini-van, which was driven by Doran Jessup, 22, also of Kokomo.  The mini-van hit the Mercury in the driver’s side door. Robert Hostetler and his passenger, Beth Hostetler, 86, of Kokomo died from injuries sustained in the crash. Jeremy Jessup, 23, of Kokomo, a passenger in the Chevrolet, was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with internal injuries. He was later transferred to an Indianapolis hospital. He is expected to survive his injuries.  Doran Jessup was not injured. This crash is still under investigation, but at this time neither the use of alcohol nor illegal narcotics is suspected as having contributed to the crash.