US government official and young aides among four killed in horror head-on smash

A US Congresswoman and two junior staffers have died in a horror car crash.

Jackie Walorski, a Republican representative for Indiana's second congressional district, was one of four people who died in a tragic head-on collision involving two vehicles on Wednesday (July 3).

The 58-year-old had reportedly been travelling along with office communications chief, Emma Thomson, 28, and district director, Zachery Potts, 27, when a vehicle driven by Edith Schmucker, 57, veered into their lane and hit them, according to police.

Ms Schmucker also died in the collision. A statement from Elkhart County Sheriff's Office said: "On August 3, 2022 at approximately 12:32 PM the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office responded to a two vehicle crash on SR 19 south of SR 119.

Two aides Emma Thomson, 28 (pictured) and district director Zachery Potts, 27 died along with her in the crash (Linkedin)

"A northbound passenger car travelled left of centre and collided head on with a southbound sports utility vehicle. All three occupants in the southbound vehicle died as a result of their injuries."

A message from Ms Walorski's office shared on Twitter by House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy confirmed her death, and asked the public to "keep her family in your thoughts and prayers".

Tributes to the late politician have since poured in from figures across the nation's political divide.

Ms Walorski's vehicle was hit by a car driven by Edith Schmucker, 56, who also died in the collision (Facebook)

A press release from President Joe Biden's office stated that while they "represented different parties and disagreed on many issues", he and his wife Jill were "shocked and saddened" to learn of her death.

He made special mention of her devoted work for her constituents and work on Congress's Ways and Means Committee, where she had recently helped plan for the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in the autumn.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Ms Walorski was 'admired by colleagues on both sides of the aisle for her personal kindness' (Facebook)

Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House, said in a statement that Walorski "passionately brought the voices of her north Indiana constituents to the Congress, and she was admired by colleagues on both sides of the aisle for her personal kindness."

Congresswoman Walorksi's career saw her take roles as a journalist, a nonprofit director and a state legislator, before eventually becoming a Member of Congress in 2013.

Positions advocated at a national and local level by Ms Walorski during her eighteen year political career included sponsoring of Indiana's Voter ID law, which required voters to present official identification documents when voting in-person, and a proposed bill to raise military death benefits for bereaved families.