A 24-year-old Crown Point man died in a motor vehicle accident Tuesday night, the Lake County Coroner’s Office confirmed.
Coroner investigators were dispatched around 10:50 p.m. on January 6, 2026, to the 6900 block of East 97th Avenue in Crown Point (Merrillville) after reports of a serious crash. A vehicle had left the roadway and struck a tree for unknown reasons.
The victim was identified as Shaun M. Watta, 24, of Crown Point. Family members positively identified him at the Lake County Coroner’s Office. Watta was pronounced dead at 11:30 p.m.
The coroner determined he sustained multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was ruled a motor vehicle accident.
Responding agencies included the Merrillville Police Department, Merrillville Fire Department, and Superior Ambulance.
No further details about the circumstances of the crash have been released.