87-year-old driver suffers medical emergency, dies after minor traffic accident

Lafayette Police Department

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Mary Jo Risk, 87, likely suffered a medical emergency about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday as she drove southbound on South Ninth Street, according to Lafayette police and Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello.

Risk, a Lafayette native, died after a minor traffic accident, police said.

She drove south, crossing Teal Road and sideswiped an oncoming northbound car near Sarasota Drive across from Central Catholic High School, according to police.

No one in the northbound car was injured in the accident.

The woman's car continued southbound at an idle speed, and people tried to get Risk to stop.

A responding northbound Lafayette police officer went head-to-head with a police car against Risk's slow-moving car to bring it to a stop.

When Risk's car was stopped, police broke out the window and began CPR, Lafayette police Lt. Justin Hartman said.

Paramedics rushed the woman to IU Health Arnett Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, Costello said.

Costello said they will schedule an autopsy.

Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette driver has medical emergency, dies after traffic accident