- Friday October 31st, 2014 :: 08:48 p.m. EDT
Young Woman Killed in Interstate 70 Crash near Terre Haute
Vigo County—At 5:53 this evening, Indiana State Police and Vigo County emergency agencies responded to a three-vehicle crash in the passing lane of Interstate 70 near the 14 mile marker. The crash left a young mother deceased and two children injured.
Preliminary investigation revealed a 2007 Ford Expedition was westbound on I-70 in the passing lane, when for an unknown reason, the Expedition failed to stop and struck a tractor-trailer in the rear. The tractor-trailer was then forced into the rear of another tractor-trailer. There was no evidence at the scene that suggested the female driver braked before impact.
The driver of the Expedition is believed to be a 29-year-old female from Indiana and she was pronounced deceased at the scene. She is also believed to be the mother of one or both of the two children in the vehicle. A 13-year-old male passenger in the front seat was taken to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis with extensive leg injuries and internal injuries. A rear seat female infant passenger, believed to be around one year of age and in a car seat, was taken to Union Hospital in Terre Haute for internal injuries. Both children were extricated by members of the Riley Fire/Rescue Department and transported to hospitals by Trans Care EMS.
The initial tractor-trailer struck was driven by 57-year-old Michael W. Williams of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Williams was transported to Terre Haute Regional Hospital for an arm injury. Williams was driving a 2002 International tractor pulling a box trailer for Jerry Lipps Trucking Inc.
The second tractor-trailer, a 2005 Kenworth tractor pulling a box trailer, was driven by 32-year-old, Jose Resendiz-Rodriguez of Texas. He was not injured. The trucking company was G&X Trucking Company of Dallas, Texas. He was not injured.
Drug and alcohol tests are pending, but there was no indication of its use at the scene. No citations were issued.
“The use of a car seat is directly responsible for saving the life of the infant passenger”, commented investigating officer Trooper Michael Featherling.
Assisting Trooper Michael Featherling were ISP Sergeant Cory Robinson and troopers Yan Dravigne and Chuck Murphy; Vigo County Sheriff’s Office, Vigo County Coroner’s Office, Riley Fire/Rescue and Trans Care EMS.
Picture attached is from the scene. Westbound I-70 was closed for nearly two hours. Westbound lanes are now open.
More information will be released as it becomes available.
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WATTS
Address/Location
Indiana State Police-Putnamville District 53-Putnamville, IN
1927 U.S. 40
Greencastle, IN 46135
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 765-653-4114
Joe Watts
Public Information Office
[email protected]
765-653-4114