UPDATE: No charges yet filed in crash that killed toddler

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November 12, 2012

UPDATE: No charges yet filed in crash that killed toddler

Father behind wheel in Saturday’s fatal accident

By GARY POPP gary.popp@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Mon Nov 12, 2012, 08:48 PM EST

CLARKSVILLE — A 1-year-old child from Florence died Saturday evening in a traffic accident on U.S. 31 in front of a Thortons gas station.

Chanttelle Thomas was taken from the wreck scene by ambulance to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, where she died shortly after her arrival.

The girl was riding in a 1995 Chevrolet Corsica with her parents, Allisha Thomas, 22, and Joshua Howe, 25. Also in the vehicle was Thomas’ daughter, 5-year-old Juliette Curtis.

Howe, who was driving the car, and Allisha Thomas were both taken to University of Louisville Hospital for treatment. Curtis also was transported to Kosair and received surgery for cuts on her face and an eye injury.

Allisha Thomas was extracted from the vehicle by the Clarksville Fire Department, she was later treated for a broken collar bone. Howe refused medical treatment after arriving at the hospital.

According to statements documented in the incident report made by the Clark County Sheriff’s Department, Howe was taking his girlfriend Thomas to Immediate Dental Care in Clarksville when the collision occurred. After the accident, Howe told deputies he is not familiar with the area and missed his turn to the dental facility while traveling north on U.S. 31.

He told authorities he drove into the Thortons parking lot to turn around while in a rush to get to the emergency dental care facility before the business closed. Without looking for oncoming traffic, according to the incident report, Howe turned left onto U.S. 31.

As the vehicle entered the southbound lane, its passenger side was struck by a Mitsubishi Endeavor driven by Sondra Temple, 58, of Jeffersonville. As the Mitsubishi hit the vehicle driven by Howe, the Chevrolet spun and hit another vehicle, a 2004 Mazda pickup truck driven by Thomas McCormick, 28, of Scottsburg.

Temple was taken to Clark Memorial Hospital after complaining of back and neck pain.

McCormick was not injured in the accident.

Blood samples were taken from each of the three drivers to be tested for impairing substances.

Clark County Sheriff’s Maj. Chuck Adams said no charges will be issued until toxicology reports are completed.