August 16, 2011
A 23-year-old man from Chicago, Illinois, died early Thursday, August 11, in a fiery three-vehicle accident near Lebanon, Indiana.
The Indiana State Police reports that the accident occurred at 3:45 a.m. when one semi-truck plowed into two other semi-trucks on I-65 SB at the 141 mile marker.
Two of the vehicles — a 2000 Volvo semi-tractor trailer and a 1999 International semi-tractor trailer, both towing box trailers — were stopped in traffic caused by construction. These two vehicles were operated by a 42-year-old Chicago Ridge, Illinois, man and a 41-year-old Wilmington, Ohio, man, respectively.
When the 23-year-old Chicago man approached the stationary traffic in his 2007 Freightliner, he failed to negotiate the stopped traffic and rear-ended the International semi-truck and trailer, which was loaded with petroleum products and paint. Both of the box trailers attached to the International truck caught fire, as did the Freightliner.
Both the driver of the International and the driver of the Volvo were able to escape without injury, but the Freightliner driver couldn’t escape the fire and was pronounced dead at the crash site.
That section of I-65 was closed for several hours after the collision.
If someone you know has been involved in an Indiana auto accident, the Indiana wrongful death lawyers at Stewart & Stewart Attorneys can help.