Silver Lake - Today, at approximately 2:47 p.m., emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle crash on State Road 14 west of County Road 100 East, which killed Kosciusko County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeffery B. Shaw, 40, Warsaw, IN.

Preliminary investigation by crash reconstructionist from the Indiana State Police Bremen Post revealed that Steven L. Byerly, 53, Fort Wayne, IN, was driving a 1994 GMC straight truck, loaded with scaffolding, eastbound on State Road 14 west of County Road 100 East. The truck drove partially off the south side of the road. Byerly allegedly over corrected and crossed the center line striking a westbound 2007 Ford Crown Victoria police car driven by Kosciusko County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeffery B. Shaw. The Ford was struck in the driver door causing both vehicles to catch fire shortly after impact.

Byerly was assisted from his truck by a motorist who witnessed the crash. Sergeant Shaw had to be extricated from his vehicle by fire department personnel. Byerly suffered a minor head injury. He was treated and released from Kosciusko Community Hospital. Sergeant Shaw was transported by ambulance to Kosciusko Community Hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival of blunt force trauma.

Sergeant Shaw, an 11 year veteran of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, was on duty and conducting routine patrol at the time of the crash. He is survived by his wife Angela, their son Nicholas, 9, and their daughter Isabella, 7.

Sergeant Shaw initiated his law enforcement career when he joined the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department in July of 1994 as a jail officer in the work release. He was hired as a merit deputy in July of 1998.

Neither illegal drug use nor alcohol is suspected in this crash. As a matter of routine for fatal crashes, a blood draw was taken from both drivers. The results are not available at this time.

This crash is still under investigation.

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