The deadly crash happened late Friday night. Saturday, the man behind the wheel of the vehicle that police say caused the crash was out of jail and no charges had been filed.
Gary police tell ABC7 Chicago that they are still waiting on the results of that driver's drug and alcohol test before they make any charges.In the meantime the sole survivor of this accident, the 11-year-old boy, was badly injured. Although it appears he will pull through, relatives say the recovery ahead will be a long one.
The woman's aunt, Dimple White, says the 39-year-old was killed Friday night along with her 8-year-old son, Jonte' Barber, when their car was hit by another vehicle in Gary.
"I'm going to miss them," she said.
It appears the offending driver may have run a red light. Police say the man who was taken into custody was been released for now.
"The investigation is still going on," said Cpl. Agnes Roberts of Gary police.
Roberts also said the charges will depend on the results of tests conducted.
"We still have a lot of tests out in the field," said Roberts.
Merilyn Bouler's eldest son, 11-year-old Markel Ladon Evans, was in critical condition Saturday evening Comer Children's Hospital, but relatives said he was expected to recover.
ABC7 Chicago is told that Merilyn Bouler was an eighth grade teacher at Clifford Middle School in Merrillville who had recently moved to Crown Point to be near her school.
"She was a very excellent woman, a Christian woman, school teacher. She enjoyed life. Those two boys were her angels and pride and joy," said Merilyn Bouler's brother Eric Bouler.
The younger son, Jonte Barber, attended a school for the gifted in Gary.
"He was just an outgoing little boy who loved to play, and loved his brother. When you saw one, you saw the other," White said.
One relative told ABC7 that Merilyn Bouler had been living in Tuskegee, Alabama, for many years and only moved back to the Gary area about three years ago.
Regarding the investigation, Gary police say they will still need a couple more days before any determination on charges against the driver of the second vehicle can be made.
