According to witnesses, the MercyMe bus went through a green light at around 1.15 am when Klinker made a sudden left turn in front of the tour bus. No one on the tour bus was injured in the collision.
MercyMe were on their way to St Louis for a show at Six Flags, having just performed in Fort Wayne’s Parkview Field on Friday night.
Lead singer Bart Millard asked people to start praying in a tweet posted on Twitter not long after the crash. In a second tweet he wrote: “Can’t sleep. Officers left to notify families of their loss. My heart aches.”
On Sunday, the band posted up a note on their website saying: “Please join with us in praying for the families of the car that hit our bus last night. Our hearts break for their families.”
Schmucker’s brother, Freeman, paid tribute to his dead sister, saying, “No matter who you are … she could make you smile.”
MercyMe are best known for their 2001 hit, “I can only imagine”, a song about life after death.
The sold-out concert at Six Flags was cancelled and rescheduled for September 5.
