Lebanon mom dead, dad and 2 kids injured after Saturday crash

LEBANON, Ind. (WISH) — A Lebanon woman died and her husband and two children were injured after the driver of a pickup having problems with his brakes hit the van the family was traveling in Saturday, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.

Around 12:10 p.m. Saturday, a 911 call came into Boone County Communications about a crash with injury at the intersection of County Road 200 South and County Road 500 West.

Robert Pitcock, 23, of Avon, told the sheriff’s office he was driving his orange Dodge Dakota south on County Road 500 West approaching the intersection with County Road 200 South when he had mechanical problems with his braking system and could not stop at the intersection, colliding with a silver Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Lansa Merilan, 46, of Lebanon.

Laura Merilan, 42, was the front passenger in the van and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her Monday obituary lists Lansa as her husband and 14-year-old Alansia and 9-month-old Elliana as her children. Lansa and the two children were taken to IU Health Riley Hospital for Children with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, the sheriff’s office said.

Pitcock was alone in the pickup and reported no injuries. Toxicology tests are pending for both drivers, but the sheriff’s office said Monday that did not appear to be a cause for the crash.