The new wife of Wayland
City Planning Commissioner Sam Dykstra and her daughter were killed Wednesday in a traffic accident near Huntington, Ind.
According to the Huntington County coroner’s office, the victims were Linda Dykstra, 77, of Wayland, and Rochelle Burch, 54, of Franklin, Ohio. The causes of death both were blunt force trauma in the crash.
The Huntington County Sheriff’s Department reported that Burch was driving when her car ran a stop sign on U.S 224 near I-69 just before noon. A semi then struck her vehicle, causing it to leave the road.
Emergency personnel who responded said both women were declared dead at the scene. The semi driver was not injured.
Investigators already have ruled the deaths accidental.
Dykstra’s first wife, Phyllis, died at age 74 in March 2009 after 56 years year of marriage. He lost his son, Dan, 54, of Middleville, to cancer in 2012.
(Photo courtesy WANE-TV)
