White County-Possible speed and the foggy weather may have combined to claim the life of two people involved in separate crashes last night on I-65 NB near the 188 MM (that is the SR 18/188 exit.).
At approximately 9:52 p.m. Lowell Regional Dispatch received numerous calls of multiple crashes on I-65 NB near the 188 MM. Troopers Jared Foutch and Shawn Shaffer were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, they discovered that multiple crashes had occurred with the initial crash involving a silver Acura and a semi tractor trailer. The driver of the Acura was deceased and the front seat passenger was seriously injured. Miraculously, the child in the back seat was uninjured. The driver of the semi was not injured.
The second major crash involved six semis, a van and two cars. The driver of the first semi struck the rear of second semi causing the load of the first semi to come loose and crashed through the cab killing the driver. At least two semi drivers and several people from other vehicles were taken from the scene with serious injuries. This crash appears to have been caused by drivers slowing and stopping on the interstate for the first crash. Weather conditions at the time of the crash were extremely foggy with low visibility.
It appears that a total of fifteen semis, five cars and two vans were involved in at least three separate crashes. The NB lanes of I-65 from the 178 exit to the 193 exit are still closed. SB I-65 from the 201 exit to the 188 exit is closed due to several property damage crashes across both lanes of traffic. Cleanup continues with the transporting of the deceased and injured, and removal of debris.
Assisting at the scene were numerous troopers from the Lowell and Lafayette Post, Brookston Fire and Rescue, Monticello Fire and EMS, INDOT, Chalmers Rescue, White County Coroner's Office, Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department, White County Sheriff's Department and Farney's Wrecker Service.
Names of the deceased will not be released until family has been notified. Picture is of the second fatality crash.
"UPDATE" The names of the deceased and injured from the first crash are driver, Angel Martinez, 22 of Portland, TN Deceased. Whitney Mitchell, 20 also of Portland, TN was the front seat passenger and Mariah Martinez, 23 months was sitting in a car seat in the back, was not injured. Mother and daughter were transported to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment.
The driver of the semi in the second crash has been identified as Rick D. Jenkins of KY Deceased. Families have been notified from both crashes. This is all the information that will be released.
-30- RILEY
Suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
