Vehicle in hit-and-run crash that left 3 dead in Indiana located

The vehicle that struck five people Saturday night in northern Indiana and left three dead, including an 8-month-old girl, has been located.

The hit-and-run crash happened at 9:19 p.m. at Beardsley Avenue and Cassopolis Street in Elkhart, Indiana, according to Elkhart police.

The vehicle was heading east on Beardsley when it left the south side of the road and struck five people, then re-entered the road and struck two vehicles before taking off, police said.

Courtney Smith, 11, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Shawn Wolcott, 22, was taken to Memorial Hospital of South Bend, where he died.

Dolly Smith, 8 months, was initially taken to Memorial before being transported to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she died at 1:35 p.m. Sunday, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found she died of complications of multiple injuries and her death was ruled an accident.

A 22-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man were also hospitalized with serious injuries, police said.

All the victims were Elkhart residents.

Police received numerous tips about the suspected vehicle and driver, and Tuesday morning, they were dispatched to a suspicious vehicle at Yellow Dog Extrusions in the 2700 block of Frederic Drive.

They found a silver 1999 Cadillac covered in a tarp in the parking lot, police said. Detectives obtained a search warrant and evidence gathered indicates it is the vehicle from the hit-and-run.

Detectives are still looking for the owner. Anyone with information is asked to call police at (574) 295-7070.