MercyMe Bus Crash Leaves 2 Dead

MercyMe's St. Louis show has been rescheduled

The Dallas-area based Christian rock band MercyMe canceled a show Saturday in the St. Louis area after its tour bus collided with a car in northeastern Indiana, killing two of the car's passengers and the pregnant driver's unborn baby.

No one in the band was injured. A news story on the crash and a photo of the damaged bus were posted on the band's Web site Saturday.

"Please join us in praying for the families of the car that hit our bus last night," the band said in a posting on its Web site. "Our hearts break for their families."

Fort Wayne police Officer Liza Thomas said witnesses told police the bus was going through a green light about 1:15 a.m. Saturday when the car made a left turn in front of it. The band had been in Fort Wayne for a Friday night show at Parkview Field.

No injuries were reported on the bus, Thomas said.

Barbara R. Schmucker, 17, and Dario L. Boutte, 19, were pronounced dead.

The car's driver, 18-year-old Kara Klinker, was nearly nine months pregnant at the time of the crash. The Allen County Coroner's Office said her baby was declared stillborn shortly after she arrived at a hospital.

Klinker remained hospitalized Sunday in critical condition.

Police have not released the names of the people involved the crash.

Brad Keller at The Greenville Herald Banner told The Associated Press the band was based in Greenville, Texas and that leader singer Bart Millard lives there.

Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Mo., issued a statement saying MercyMe's show had been rescheduled for Sept. 5 because the band was involved in a vehicle accident in Indiana. All concert tickets will be honored for the new date, it said.

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