Vigo County—This evening at 5:20, Indiana State Police and Vigo County emergency agencies responded to a commercial vehicle crash in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 near the three mile marker. The collision involved two tractor-trailer units with one driver airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital.
Preliminary investigation revealed eastbound traffic was stopped for an earlier crash in the eastbound lanes near the seven mile marker. A 2013 Freightliner tractor pulling a box trailer and driven by 64-year-old James Boswell of Pikeville, North Carolina failed to stop and struck a 2012 Volvo tractor pulling a refrigerated trailer driven by Pardeep Singh Sidhu, age 23, of Bakersfield, California, in the rear. Boswell was extricated from the vehicle by members of the Sugar Creek Fire/Rescue Department, stabilized by Trans Care EMS, and then airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis with head and lower leg injuries. Sidhu and his passenger were not injured.
James Boswell was driving for Barnes Transportation Services of Wilson, North Carolina. Sidhu was driving for Haul Freight Inc of Bakersfield, California.
I-70 near the three mile marker was closed for nearly 50 minutes before one eastbound lane was open for travel.
A preliminary commercial vehicle inspection by ISP Master Trooper Matt Ames revealed no obvious deficiencies with Boswell or his tractor-trailer; however, a detailed inspection of the unit will be conducted tomorrow morning.
The crash was investigated by ISP Trooper Dan Criswell. Assisting were numerous troopers from the Putnamville District, Vigo County Sheriff’s Office, West Terre Haute Police Department, Sugar Creek Fire/Rescue, Trans Care EMS, and IU Health air ambulance.
Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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