Gary, Lake County-A three vehicle crash on westbound I-80/94 caused a semi to lose aluminum coils onto the roadway.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Jerry George revealed that at approximately 2:10 p.m., this Thursday, January 08, 2015, afternoon a 2008 Chevrolet HHR, driven by Joseph J. Hyden, 72 of Gary, was merging onto I-80 westbound from the I-65 northbound ramp when he lost control, causing the HHR to spin out of control sideways. A 2014 Ford pickup, driven by Robert S. Gibson, 54 of Manteno, Illinois, was westbound on I-80/94 in the right lane when the HHR spun out in front of him. The pickup hit the driver’s door of the HHR.
A 1998 Volvo semi pulling a box trailer, owned by Transrapid Incorporated out of Franklin Park, Illinois , and driven by Gintaras Morkeliunan, 52 of Downers Grove, Illinois, was westbound in the right middle lane when the pickup came into his lane after hitting the HHR. Morkeliunan tried to avoid the pickup, which caused his semi to jack-knife. The rear tandem wheels on Morkeliunan’s tractor hit the rear of the pickup.
The semi was loaded with 5 aluminum coils weighing a total of 25,000 pounds; three of the coils came out the front of the trailer landing in the roadway. The coils were loaded in Portage and were headed to Delray Beach, Florida. Morkeliunan was cited for Load Securement. He was wearing his seat belt and not injured.
Hyden and his passenger Sandra Dillon, 63 were both taken to North Lake Methodist Hospital in Gary with non-life threatening injuries. They both were wearing seat belts.
Gibson was also taken to North Lake Methodist with non-life threatening injuries. He was also wearing his seat belt.
All lanes except the inner shoulder were closed until approximately 5:00 p.m., for investigation of the crash, removal of the injured and their vehicles, and loading of the coils.
Assisting: Indiana Department of Transportation Hoosier Helpers, Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division Trooper Nedal Nabhan, Gary Fire and EMS, and Waffco Towing
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pictures are of the crash scene
