Seymour teen killed in wreck

A Seymour girl involved in a wreck south of town Wednesday night died this morning.

According to a report from the Indiana State Police Post at Seymour, Amanda S. Stahl, 16, had to be freed from her car by firefighters after the wreck on County Road 600E, south of County Road 200N. The wreck was reported to police at 10:35 p.m. Wednesday.

After she was freed from the car, Stahl was flown to University of Louisville Hospital by PHI Air Medical, where she died of her injuries early this morning, Sgt. Donald Gregory of the Seymour Post said.

Police say preliminary investigations show Stahl, who was active in Jackson County 4-H, was driving a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu north on County Road 600E when the car left the eastside of the road for some unknown reason and struck a black newspaper box.

Police say Stahl drove the car back into the middle of the road but overcorrected, driving it back off the east side of the road. The vehicle then struck a pine tree about 3 inches in diameter before continuing into a second tree.

That impact crushed the driver's side door and left Stahl trapped in the car.

While firefighters from Seymour Fire Department and Jackson/Washington Township and Vernon Township firefighters worked to cut pieces away from the car to free Stahl, personnel with Jackson County Emergency Medical Services worked to stabilize her vital signs.

Stahl on Tuesday was named to the 4-H Royalty  at the Jackson County Fair.

Pam Hess, extension educator 4-H youth development, said today Stahl was an outstanding person.

"She joined 4-H kind of late when she was in middle school," Hess said.

Those members generally just kind of dabble in it after joining, but not Stahl, Hess said.

"She wanted to be a veterinarian," Hess said. "I told her she needed to be in 4-H. She joined junior leaders and was one of the first people to sign up for things."

A moment of silence in memory of Stahl is planned before each of the remaining 4-H contests at the fair this week. The flag in front of the 4-H building was lowered to half staff, and Stahl's two 4-H projects, both state fair entries, have been placed in a special area, Hess said.

She was the daughter of Larry and Becky Stahl.