Tipped and twisted irrigation pivots in a field southwest of Milford.

News Release

MIDDLEBURY — Lonnie Yoder, 84, died after the buggy he was in was flipped by strong winds Sunday evening, March 30.

According to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, a call was received around 5:30 p.m. from an individual reporting a buggy had flipped over due to the strong winds accompanying a storm that came through the area. The location given to authorities was 11531 CR 20, Middlebury.

Yoder was pronounced dead at the scene.

The National Weather Service Northern Indiana was advised the incident occurred at the intersection of SR 13 and CR 43. However, the location on CR 20 is between SR 13 and CR 43, and southeast of US 20 and Middlebury.

The NWS IWX reports winds of 60 mph to nearly 80 mph led to fairly widespread damage with NWS IWX receiving numerous reports of downed trees, branches, and power lines. Some of the trees and powerlines were snapped off and fell onto vehicles or homes.

In Elkhart County, the EMA reported that over 30 buildings/residences had been damaged by falling trees. Structural damage to homes, barns, and businesses occurred in locations that saw the strongest winds, with roofs being blown off or seriously damaged, buildings or barns collapsing, and shingles or siding torn off houses.

There were even a couple of reports of wooden shards from damaged trees or buildings impaling the ground! NWS IWX sent survey teams to assess the straight line wind damage in LaPorte, St Joseph, Lagrange, and Kosciusko counties in Indiana, and St. Joseph and Cass Counties in Mich. Storm surveys were conducted Monday, March 31 and will continue today, Tuesday, April 1.

Storm reports recorded by NWS showed two reports in Kosciusko County. At 4:45 p.m. NWS was notified of a metal hog barn roof torn off and thrown throughout two fields 4 miles northeast of Etna Green. At 4:44 p.m. two miles east southeast of Clunette there were numerous reports of limbs, trees and powerlines downed in the county. A tree was reported down on a vehicle near Epoworth Forest, a tree down across the road on Second Street in Pierceton and powerlines/trees downed across SR 15 south of Short Ridge Drive.

There were several reports of 40-50 mph wind gusts, including at NWS IWX near North Webster and in Claypool based on radar. The Warsaw Airport reported winds at 49 mph at 4:55 p.m.

Other reports included multiple irrigation systems rolled and mangled in fields one mile east of Hastings at 4:55 p.m. and at 4:57 p.m. a rotten based tree snapped at its base at CR 750N and CR 300E, near Tippecanoe Lake.

Two Tornadoes were confirmed (as of 3/31/25) and caused significant damage. The first EF-1 tornado, with a peak wind of 110 mph, traveled 3.32 miles from near Oak Grove in Starke County, to just north of Donaldson, in Marshall County. This caused damage to the campus of Ancilla College, and then overturned a mobile home, injuring the person inside. Barns were also flattened, in addition to numerous trees snapped or uprooted.

The second EF-1 tornado, with a peak wind of 100 mph, traveled 2.06 miles through Edwardsburg, Mich. It started in a field west of Conrad Road and then moved towards Edwardsburg Primary School, causing damage. The Starboard Choice Marina building sustained damage to the roof, and a boat lift and dock were removed from the lake and flipped over. A few boats were damaged as well, including one that was flipped and tossed over a fence. Dailey road saw the most intense damage, with numerous large trees were snapped and uprooted.

Results from the surveys will be added to the NWS IWX website when finalized. Tornado information and photos can also be found on the NWS IWX website.

Barn damage at the Morris Miller farm at Price Road, Milford.