STEUBEN COUNTY, IN (WTVB) – The Indiana State Police are investigating a fatal crash involving two semi tractor trailers and a pick up truck which happened late Friday afternoon on the Indiana Toll Road in Steuben County.
The westbound lanes of the Toll Road were completely shut down for over five hours for the investigation and clean-up which affected traffic in the Fremont/Angola area.
Troopers say the crash happened at about 5:15 p.m. just east of the I-69 interchange near Fremont.
A preliminary investigation has found that a 2020 Freightliner semi-tractor/trailer that was traveling west failed to slow or stop for traffic that was backed-up due to a car fire.
The Freightliner swerved to the right to avoid colliding with a 2016 Ford F150 truck that was stopped in the right lane, side swiped the passenger side of that truck, and then impacted the rear of 2008 Mack semi-tractor/trailer that was stopped ahead of the Ford.
The impact caused extreme damage to the cab of the Freightliner. The driver and passenger were trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated by Fremont Fire Department personnel.
The driver of the Freightliner was identified as 34-year-old Melvin Alexander of Atlanta, Georgia. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Steuben County Coroner.
The passenger, an adult male, was transported to a Fort Wayne area hospital with unknown injuries, not believed to be life threatening. His name was not released.
The drivers of the other two vehicles were not injured but they were taken to a local hospital for chemical testing, which is required of all drivers involved in a serious bodily injury or fatal crash in the State of Indiana.
Toll Road troopers were assisted by Indiana State Police crash reconstruction troopers, as well as ISP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVED) troopers, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, the Fremont Fire Department, Steuben County EMS personnel, the Steuben County Coroner, and Bill’s Professional Towing Service.
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