Indiana State Police continue to investigate a collision that occurred Tuesday evening, June 22, between three trucks in. a construction zone on Interstate 80/90 Toll Road.
At about 5:30 p.m. IDSP responded to a multi-vehicle crash at the 120 mile marker, northwest of Howe, Indiana.
Two of the three involved drivers were injured in the crash, one of which — Robert Klimek, 69, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania — was entrapped in the wreckage for an extended period of time. Upon extraction Klimek was flown from the scene by Samaritan helicopter to PRMC in Fort Wayne. The extent of his injuries was unknown.
The second injured driver, Mohammad Rahim Azami, 33, of Lakewood, Ohio, sustained only minor injuries. He was transported by ambulance to Parkview Hospital in LaGrange, where he was treated and later released. The third driver, Jason Nine, 49, of Lakeville, Indiana, was not injured.
Senior Trooper Anthony Canul’s preliminary investigation found that at the time of the crash both westbound lanes of travel were backed up and stopped due to road construction two miles ahead at the 118 mile marker. ISP said that for an unknown reason, Klimek, who was operating a white 2020 Peterbilt pulling a loaded car hauler, failed to recognize the stopped traffic ahead of him and crashed into the rear of a gray 2014 Volvo semi-tractor/trailer driven by Azami. This initial impact caused the Volvo to then crash into the rear of a blue 2005 Kenworth dump truck that was also stopped in traffic, driven by Nine.
The westbound lanes of I-80/90 were shut down for nearly four and a half hours while crews worked to clear the vehicles and crash debris from the roadway.