JASPER COUNTY — A back up on the southbound lanes on I-65 contributed to a multi-vehicle crash near the 222-mile marker (Winamac/Fair Oaks) in Jasper County early Monday morning, March 13. Two people were reported to have suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash.
According to the Indiana State Police, trooper Brian Runyon responded to a semi-trailer rollover on the I-65 southbound lanes near the 221-mile mark, which is approximately eight miles south of the Roselawn exit. The semi was found to have driven off the roadway and into the grassy median.
The crash occurred at around 1:30 a.m. on Monday morning.
The tanker was loaded with liquid sugar and the driver of the semi refused medical treatment at the scene. The contents of the tanker were off-loaded prior to the semi being towed, and as a result, the left lane of the interstate was closed for the emergency crews to perform the work. This lane closure resulted in a back-up along I-65 in the southbound lanes for several miles.
With traffic at a stand-still, a crash occurred at around 5:45 a.m. when a white 2022 Ford F-750 box truck failed to recognize that traffic had stopped while clean up was performed at the rollover. The box truck reportedly rear-ended a gray 2020 Subaru, which was stopped in the right lane behind a white 2019 Toyota Tundra. The Tundra was stopped behind a 2018 Peterbilt tractor-trailer and as a result of the initial impact by the box truck, the Subaru was pushed into the Tundra which was pushed into the Peterbilt, causing “catastrophic damage” to both the Subaru and Toyota, police said.
The driver of the Subaru required extrication from the vehicle and was transported to I.U. Health in Lafayette with serious injuries. A four-year-old male was secured in a car seat in the Toyota and was transported to Franciscan Health in Crown Point with life-threatening injuries.
The parents of the child, who were occupants in the Toyota, were also transported to Franciscan Health for treatment. The child was later transported to Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago for treatment.
The driver of the box truck, a 22-year-old man from Shorewood, Illinois, was not injured. The driver of the Peterbilt was also not injured.
This crash remains under investigation. Once that investigation has been completed, the findings will be turned over to the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of charges.
All lanes of southbound I-65 were diverted at exit 230 until approximately 11 a.m.
Assisting at the scene were the Keener Township EMS, Jasper County EMS, Wheatfield EMS, Rensselaer Fire, Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction, Indiana State Police Commercial Motor Vehicle Division, INDOT, Cheever’s Towing and D1 Towing.
