LaPorte County-A couple from Aurora, Illinois were lucky when they had non-life threatening injuries, after their car went under a semi’s trailer when that semi jackknifed in front of them.
Preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Tom Devries, with the Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, revealed at approximately 11:55 a.m., this Thursday, February 19th, 2015, morning, a 2007 Volvo semi pulling a box trailer was east bound on I-94 at the 36.7 mile marker (this is approximately 3 miles east of the Michigan City exit) when it lost control. The semi, owned by Sarmad Shamoo out of Sterling Heights, Michigan, and driven by Jan Hanna, 29 from Warren, Michigan, was in the right lane when he lost control, jackknifed, causing him to go back across all east bound lanes and hit the concrete median barrier wall head on. As the semi was jackknifing a 2011 Honda Civic, driven by James Ashley, 28 of Aurora, Illinois, was in the middle lane and could not avoid the semi’s trailer as it came across his lane of travel. Ashley’s car was wedged underneath.
Ashley and his wife, Amy, a front seat passenger, were both taken to Saint Anthony’s Hospital in Michigan City with non-life threatening injuries. They were both wearing their seat belts.
Hanna complained of pain but refused treatment at the scene. He also was wearing his seat belt. Hanna was hauling metal castings. There was no load loss. Hanna was issued a ticket for failing to properly secure his load. Both vehicles had to be towed from the scene.
The left two lanes were closed for over an hour for transporting of the injured, towing of the vehicles, investigation of the crash, and clean-up of the roadway.
Troopers have been busy most of the day with numerous crashes and slide offs in eastern Porter and LaPorte Counties on I-94. The strong winds, at times snow, and the bitter cold have made that stretch of road icy and snow covered in areas. Motorists need to slow down, back off the car in front of them, and rethink their trip if it is necessary.
Assisting: Sergeant Lee Wright, Troopers Glen Fifield, Rick Hudson, and Nedal Nabhan, LaPorte County EMS and Cloverleaf Towing
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Picture is of the crash scene
