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October 2, 2012

North Daviess student dies in tragic accident

By Nate Smith Washington Times-Herald

ODON —

ODON — The North Daviess community continues to grieve over the tragic loss of Samantha Porter, 17, Odon, from a traffic accident early Saturday morning.

Porter died from a one-car traffic accident on CR 1200N, just east of CR 950E. According to a release from the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department, she was eastbound on CR 1200N when she lost control of her 1999 Mercury Cougar, possibly attempting to avoid hitting a cat.

The car then went off the north end of the road and collided with a utility pole. Porter, who was not wearing a seat belt, suffered massive head trauma and was declared dead at the scene by the Daviess County Coroner’s office.

Near the location of the accident, several have left flowers and a white wooden cross has been placed.

Porter was a senior at North Daviess High School, where she was active in cheerleading, cross country, band, Red Cross, JUMP Club and student council. She would have been part of the graduating class of 2013.

Principal Jed Jerrels said she was a great student and active in her school and community.

Local ministers and ND alumni have been serving as grief counselors and helping with the emotions students and staff have been feeling. The school was opened at 1 p.m. Saturday for students, staff and the community.

“It has been an outpouring of condolences coming in from everywhere,” Jerrels said. “The faculty have been great.”

Jerrels said the students have been working through the shock of the accident and the grief like many of us have done.

“(They are) slowly getting back into a regular school day under the circumstances,” Jerrels said.

Teachers too are feeling grief for the loss of a bright young student, but remain a sense of normalcy for the students, Jerrels said.

“They are there for their students, they are there for their family,” Jerrels said.

Porter was also active in 4-H, where she was an 8-year member.

Daviess County Purdue Extension Agent Jane Ann Beard said Porter was in the same local 4-H club with her children, and remembered “a very sweet young lady.”

“She always had a smile on her face,” Beard said. “She was great with the young children.”

She was the daughter of Dr. Bryan and Ginger Porter. Both natives to the North Daviess community, Bryan is the physician at the North Daviess Medical Clinic in Odon. Funeral services will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the North Daviess High School gym. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Simon J. Graber Building on CR 900E and after 3 p.m.Wednesday  in the gym. To let staff of the North Daviess Medical Clinic to attend services, the clinic will close at 2 p.m. Tuesday and at noon on Wednesday. Practices for high school sports will be canceled on Wednesday.

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