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Family grieves father, son killed in crash

Posted at 9:19 PM, Mar 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-14 22:37:39-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis family was trying to cope with their grief this week after a young father and his son were killed in a crash on Pendleton Pike.

Funeral services for Robert Valentine III and his son, Robert Valentine IV, were scheduled for Saturday at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on the west side.

 The 20-year-old father and his 1-year-old son were killed in the crash a week ago near Pendleton Pike and 52nd Street.

MORE | Witness: Van had no lights on, crossed lanes in Lawrence crash

"He loved his family," said Harvietta Burse Henderson, Valentine's mother. "He had a lot of friends and he was well loved. He didn't have any enemies. Everybody that knew Robert, liked Robert."

Valentine was behind the wheel Tuesday night when the van he was driving drifted left of center and crashed with a westbound pickup truck. Although Valentine was driving without headlights on, Lawrence police say they did not detect any signs of impairment at the scene, nor signs that the van had any sort of mechanical failure.

Valentine died shortly after the accident, and his son died htree days later.

"He's a great person," said Corine Valentine, his sister. "And it's sad when you're doing the right thing. He's always been going in the right direction. And it's sad when your life is cut short."

Valentine's mother set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds to bury her son and grandson.

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