LaPorte County-Yesterday evening, Sunday, June 15th, a driver lost control of her car when she was traveling west bound on the Indiana Toll Road, went off the roadway and came back up on the east bound side hitting a semi head on.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Glenn Katayama revealed that at approximately 7:16 p.m., a 2010 Honda was west bound in the left lane when the driver, identified as Maria Maldonado, 56 of Aurora, Illinois, attempted to make a lane change, lost control of her car, went off to right and hit the guard rail, came back across both west bound lanes, down the into the median and up into the east bound lanes. The Honda then hit another guard rail and bounced back into the path of a 2011 Freightliner semi, driven by Lawrence Letourneau, 54 of Duluth, Minnesota. The semi was owned by Halvor Lines out of Superior, Wisconsin and was loaded with plastic products.
The passenger in the Honda, Robertino Maldonado (husband of Maria), 57 of Aurora, had to be extricated from the car and was pronounced dead at the scene by the LaPorte County Coroner.
Maria was taken to South Bend Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Both she and her husband were wearing their seat belts.
Letourneau was also wearing a seat belt and was not injured. His load of plastic stayed intact.
Family has been notified.
All lanes east bound except the shoulder was closed until 9:27 p.m., for reconstruction of the crash, removal of the injured and vehicles, and clean-up of the roadway.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
For summer travel safety tips, visit http://www.in.gov/isp/2968.htm
