The passenger in a car that crashed after passing another vehicle in a no passing zone died while the driver was seriously injured.

It happened northeast of Columbia City on Old Trail Road east of Whitley
County Road 300 East around 7:15 Monday morning. State Police say 30-year-old Donnie Jackson of Columbia City left the road, over-corrected and hit a tree.

Both men were wearing seat belts. Firefighters had to extricate Jackson and his passenger – 23-year-old Dakota Messmann of Columbia City. Messmann was pronounced dead at the scene. Jackson was flown by Samaritan to Parkview Regional in serious condition.

The crash remains under investigation.