Sylvia Marie Fischer, 17, of Owensville, passed away on Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 in Evansville, as a result of an automobile accident.

 

She was born to Bridget (Sensmeier) Garrett and Billy Jo Fischer on Dec. 27, 1993 in Evansville.

 

Sylvia was a senior at Gibson Southern High School in Fort Branch, where she participated in the high school marching band, the Sunshine Society, and the Thespian Club.

 

She is survived by her mother and step-father, Bridgett and Gregory Lee Garrett of Owensville; her father, Billy Jo Fischer of Caster, La.; a sister, Scarlett Lee Fischer of Owensville; two step-sisters, Brianna Marie Garrett of Owensville, and Ambria Dawn Garrett of Princeton; her grand parents, Bob and Sylvia Sensmeier of Fort Branch and Michael and Sinda Fischer of Arizona, and Mary Field of Princeton.

 

A Mass of Christian burial will be Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011 at 11 a.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Fort Branch. Father Tony Ernst will be the celebrant. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

 

Visitation will be Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Holy Cross Church and again from 9 a.m. until service time Wednesday at the church. Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the church.

 

Sylvia Marie Fischer

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Evansville Courier & Press, Evansville, IN 19 Dec 2011.

 — Autopsies performed on the three victims of Friday's triple-fatality accident on Interstate 164 revealed similar injuries to each, a Vanderburgh County deputy coroner said Sunday.

Sylvia Fischer, 17, of Owensville, Ind., William Dunn, 8, and his aunt, Jennifer Ross, 36, both of Gibson County, all suffered significant head injuries from extreme impact during the three-vehicle collision, according to Vanderburgh County Deputy Corner Shaun Madding. The accident occurred at about 6:15 p.m. between the Lloyd Expressway and Morgan Avenue.

The speed at impact remains unknown, as does the reason Fischer's minivan crossed the median from the northbound lane and struck the SUV carrying Dunn and Ross, which then caused the SUV to collide with a pickup truck. Judging from the nature of the injuries, there must have been a "devastating impact," Madding said.

Evansville Police Department spokeswoman Karen Kajmowicz said Sunday an accident reconstruction expert will spend the next two weeks to 60 days determining why Fischer's minivan crossed the median. If necessary, the expert will tear the minivan apart to see if a mechanical issue is the cause. A toxicology report done on Fischer is due in about three weeks.

Coroner Annie Groves said Saturday that it doesn't appear that Fischer was texting or using a cellphone as a cellphone was discovered in her purse at the scene.

Evansville police have not identified the survivors. The adult male driver of the SUV in which Dunn and Ross were riding was hospitalized in critical condition on Saturday. Groves identified him only as Ross' husband. Another passenger in the SUV, a 15-year-old female, also was hospitalized.

The adult male driver of a third vehicle suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The collision occurred at 6:15 p.m. Friday between the Lloyd Expressway and Morgan Avenue, prompting authorities to close the southbound lanes of I-164 for hours.