Bartholomew County-At approximately 7:00 a.m. today, the Indiana State Police and Columbus Police Department responded to a single vehicle crash on I-65 southbound near the 67 mile marker which seriously injured a Minnesota man.
According to the initial investigation by Trooper Matt Holley, the 2011 International truck pulling a trailer, being driven by Steven A. Rohde, age 52, Grey Eagle, MN, drove off the west side of the roadway for an unknown reason. The vehicle traveled down an embankment before rolling onto its right side. The vehicle then struck a tree head on and came to a stop. The force of the collision nearly removed the cab from the frame of the truck.
Rohde was trapped in his vehicle for approximately one hour while the Columbus Fire Department and Columbus Regional EMS worked to free him. Rohde was transported by ambulance to Columbus before being flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment of possibly life threatening injuries.
I-65 was reduced to one lane at the scene of the crash for nearly six hours while workers worked to remove approximately 43,000 pounds of French fries from the trailer before the vehicle was removed from the scene.
The investigation is ongoing.
Trp. Holley was assisted by numerous troopers from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post, officers from the Columbus Police Department, the Columbus Fire Department, Columbus Regional EMS, 31 Wrecker Service and the Indiana Department of Transportation.
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Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
