Sherise Parrish, Latianna King, De’Mario Craig, Maurice Parrish, and Byron Towns die in fatal Gary train crash
Fatal Gary train crash death of Sherise Parrish, Latianna King, De’Mario Craig, Maurice Parrish, and Byron Towns
Five individuals were killed late Tuesday night in Gary, Indiana, after a car drove around a lowered railroad crossing gate and collided with a South Shore Line train.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased as Sherise Parrish, 20; Latianna King, 20; De’Mario Craig, 24; Maurice Parrish, 20; and Byron Towns, 21. Autopsies for all five were conducted on June 26.
According to the coroner, all five victims were residents of the same home in the 4000 block of Harrison Street in Gary. Emergency responders were dispatched at 10:09 p.m. on June 25 to the crash site at U.S. Route 20 and Utah Street. The coroner’s office confirmed that the victims died between 10:55 p.m. and 11:01 p.m.
Gary Police reported that when officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a car that had been extensively damaged in the crash. All five occupants had been thrown from the vehicle and were pronounced dead at the scene.
Preliminary findings from the coroner’s office list the cause of death for each victim as multiple blunt force injuries, with the manner of death deemed accidental. Toxicology results are still pending.
Authorities stated that no injuries were reported among passengers or crew members aboard the South Shore train involved in the collision.
In the aftermath, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton expressed sympathy for the families affected and praised first responders for their swift action. He also emphasized the importance of adhering to train crossing signals, urging the public never to bypass lowered gates or flashing warnings.
South Shore Line President Michael Noland reinforced this message, stressing that safety features like lights, bells, and gates are designed to prevent tragedies. He cautioned that saving a few seconds isn’t worth risking lives.
The incident remains under active investigation by the Gary Police Department’s traffic division in coordination with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s Transit Police.
Mayor Melton also mentioned that city officials are working closely with emergency responders and railroad agencies to evaluate current rail safety protocols and explore improvements to avoid similar incidents in the future.
