Hammond, Lake County-An early morning crash, this Saturday morning, between two semis caused a fire and closure of the interstate, and a secondary crash involving a Hammond Emergency Management Agency (EMA) vehicle.
Preliminary investigation by Indiana State Police Trooper Carson House revealed that at approximately 12:07 a.m., this Saturday, February 21, 2015, morning, a 2006 Freightliner, owned by Reliable Transportation Specialists out of Chesterton, Indiana, had been on the outer shoulder of I-80 west bound just east of Kennedy Avenue waiting for assistance for his disabled trailer. A service truck arrived and removed the disabled trailer. The driver of the 2006 Freightliner, Kevin Greenlaw, 43 of Bolingbrook, Illinois, had put his emergency flashers on when he entered the right lane of I-80 west bound as he built up his speed.
A 2004 Volvo semi pulling a box trailer, owned by G & K Trucking of Chicago, out of Taylor, Michigan, and driven by Zivojin Lukic, 55 of Elk Grove, Illinois, was in the right lane and hit the rear of the Freightliner. This caused the Volvo to jackknife across all west bound lanes where it came to rest in the far left lane. The Freightliner after being hit came to rest in the right lane and entrance lane to Kennedy Avenue. The Volvo’s diesel fuel tanks ruptured as it was jackknifing across the west bound lanes spewing diesel fuel approximately 300 feet across the roadway; this caught fire for a short time before it put itself out. Lukic’s trailer was loaded with empty pallets and no load was lost at the scene.
Greenlaw was taken to Munster Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Lukic was not injured. Lukic was cited for Speed too Fast to Avoid a Collision.
At times all lanes were closed for investigation of the crash, removal of the injured and towing of the vehicles, sand had to be spread across the west bound lanes to absorb the diesel fuel and then cleaned up as did the debris from the crash. All lanes were reopened at approximately 4:00 a.m.
Assisting: Hammond Police and Fire Departments, Indiana Department of Transportation and Bert’s Towing
A secondary crash also occurred when a Hammond Emergency Management Agency vehicle was hit.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Justin Heflin revealed that a 1992 Ford Crown Victoria, owned by Hammond EMA, and driven by Scott DeAngelo, 43 of Hammond, had parked his fully marked EMA car with its emergency lights activated across both of the two left lanes near Cline Avenue to assist ISP with road closure for the two semi crash. DeAngelo had also put out traffic cones to block the right middle lane in this area. DeAngelo was standing outside of his EMA vehicle when saw a 2010 Honda Civic, driven by Ruth Scheihing, 43 of Chesterton, Indiana, approaching in the left lane and not slowing down. DeAngelo jumped over the concrete median barrier wall and the Civic hit the rear of the EMA vehicle.
DeAngelo was not injured and Scheihing refused treatment at the scene. Scheihing was cited for Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle and Proof of Financial Responsibility.
Both vehicles had to be towed from the scene.
Assisting: Prompt Ambulance, D.C. Towing and Govert’s Towing
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
I do not have pictures of the EMA crash; pictures are of the semi crash.
Picture #1 is of the Freightliner
Picture #2 is of the Volvo with box trailer
