Aug 17, 2026
(WRTV) -- At least seven people died in Indiana because of storms and flooding from Tuesday through Sunday.Ages ranged from 4 to 86. Here is what we know:Paula Plebanski, 58, GaryPaula Plebanski, a 58-year-old homeless woman, di ed around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in Gary when a piece of roofing blew off a store and hit her during a storm with destructive winds, the Lake County coroners office said.A bystander called 911 to direct authorities to the 5200 block of East Dunes Highway, an area with an auto repair shop, an auto dealer and homes just a few blocks south of Lake Michigan.The coroner said she died from injuries caused by the impact. Leona Rice, 86, PortageIn the Porter County city of Portage, authorities are investigating if severe weather triggered a house explosion and fire Tuesday that killed a woman identified by family as Leona Rice, 86.The county coroner has not yet shared her identity.A derecho storm with 100 mph winds delayed authorities from reaching the home. The storm moved through the area around noon Tuesday.While investigators have not confirmed how the explosion happened, they believe the blast was weather-related. They found an uprooted tree that may have damaged underground piping and shifted gas lines and the home's gas meter. The storm also caused other gas leaks and downed power lines.4-year-old boy, rural Jennings CountyThe Jennings County coroner as of Monday had not shared the name of a 4-year-old boy who died when a tree fell into a bedroom around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in rural Jennings County.The home is in a heavily wooded area about 1.5 miles northwest of North Vernon. Three other people inside escaped.Matthew Morey, 18, Mississinewa River in rural Delaware CountySearch crews found the body of Matthew Morey, 18, in the Mississinewa River on Saturday. Morey was a Delta High School graduate and football player who planned to attend Purdue University.The search for Morey started Wednesday evening in Delaware County after reports of four people in the flooded river near County Road 450 East and Gregory Road, between Albany and Eaton.While the other three people reached safety, Morey was swept away.Johnny J. Rodriguez, 32, rural La Porte CountyJohnny J. Rodriguez, 32, of Lakeland, Florida, died around 10:15 p.m. Thursday at a rural intersection in La Porte County. A three-way traffic signal at U.S. 30 and State Road 39 was not working after a storm.The La Porte County Sheriffs Office said Rodriguez was driving a tractor-trailer east on U.S. 30 when he failed to slow down and hit the back of another tractor-trailer. Vikramjit Singh, 28, of Selma, California, had stopped at the broken signal. Stephanie Jo Sallee, 58 or 59, near YorktownDeputies found the body of Stephanie Jo Sallee in a cornfield along South Bell Creek Road on Friday. The Delaware County coroner said Sallee was 59, while the sheriff's office said she was 58.Investigators believe floodwaters more than 3 feet deep swept Sallees vehicle off the road Thursday. She likely died after she got out of the car to escape the current. A dog was also found dead in the vehicle. Emergency crews had rescued another driver from the same location one day earlier.Sallees family described her as a compassionate, nonjudgmental person who loved her family and persevered through many trials. James Briar, 31, New CastleNew Castle police say James Briar, 31, of New Castle, rode his bicycle past safety barricades near Crescent Drive and Riley Road, where a large part of the road in Henry County had collapsed after flooding.He was found dead in the hole around 3:45 p.m. Sunday. Investigators think Briar had tried to drive around the hole after midnight Saturday.His sister Amanda Kincade said in a statement, "He was the type of person that would give you the shirt off his own back, even if it was the only thing he had left to give. He always went out of his way to ensure that others were happy and cared for, no matter what he was going through. My brother was not on social media and didnt keep up with the news, so we believe that he truly did not know how dangerous Riley Road was and did not see the collapsed road until it was too late." ...read more read less
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