Tragedy struck the FFA Community and all of Indiana Thursday when three members of the South Ripley FFA were killed and three injured in a two car collision at the intersection of County Road 850 South and Fairgrounds Road in Ripley County.
The teens were helping with the 20th annual No-till breakfast sponsored by the Ripley County Soil and Water Conservation District. The wreck reportedly occurred when one pickup with three teens collided with another pickup with the other three teens.
Those killed, according to Hoosier Ag Today, were Timothy Bowman, 17, Osgood; Jacob Vogel, 18, Versailles; and Samantha Hanson, 18, Holton. The three inured included Thomas Crawford, 17, Dillsboro; Caleb Cumberworth, 15, Holton and Kayla Adkinson, 15, Holton. The injured teens were transferred to a hospital in Cincinnati following the crash.
The students were on an official FFA event according to the South Ripley schools.
Indiana Prairie Farmer expresses heartfelt sympathy to the family of those killed and injured, and to the entire South Ripley FFA family and community.
Speaking for the Indiana State FFA, Coty Back, assistant director of the Indiana FFA Association, expressed sympathy on behalf of all FFA members across the state. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture, which houses the Indiana FFA Association, Back, and director, Steve Hickey, also issued a statement expressing support for those directly involved and for everyone in the school community.
Governor Pence added his condolences and expression of grief. Lt. Governor Susan Ellspermann also issued a brief statement, expressing condolences and hoping that the support of the tight-knit FFA community will help the family through the tragedy.
A Dodge Ram pickup and a Ford F-250 were involved in the crash. Few other details were available yet about the nature of the crash. Word did not reach those at the meeting where the students had served until well after the crash.