Tippecanoe County-Today at approximately 3:16 p.m. on I-65 southbound near the 175 MM (that is south of the SR 25/exit 175) a multivehicle crash caused a backup which caused a second multivehicle crash that shut down I-65 for approximately one hour.
The initial crash at the 175 MM southbound involved a 2003 white Mack semi pulling a tanker and driven by Marvin Q. Speedy, 57 of Paoli, IN that was following too closely. He rear ended a gold Chrysler Minivan driven by Darrell W. Droke, 50 of Michigantown, IN that had slowed for traffic congestion in the area. The force of the hit caused the minivan to rear end a white 2014 Dodge Ram pickup driven by Rick D. Miller, 62 of Kokomo, IN. The rear impact them shoved the Dodge into the rear of a white 2008 Mack driven by Glenn C. Lighthart, 57 of Crawfordsville, IN.
Droke was transported to IU Arnett Hospital in Lafayette with serious injuries. No one else was injured in the crash. The interstate was shut down for about one hour while emergency personnel treated the victims, removed the vehicles and clean up the interstate.
The second crash at the 178 MM southbound involved a white 2015 Peterbuilt owned by Dart Trucking out of North Lima, OH and driven by Franklin Lee Castle, 28 of Louisa, KY. Castle did not see traffic had slowed for the first crash when he came up on a gray Freightliner owned by BJT Express and driven by Robert D. Joshua, 43 of Greensboro, MD. Joshua had slowed or stopped for traffic when the Peterbuilt ran into the rear of his trailer loaded with bags of sugar. His Freightliner was pushed into a third trailer that received no damage.
The Peterbuilt ran through the right rear of the trailer then proceeded into the guardrail where it came to rest. The trailer loaded with sugar was a total loss. Sugar was spread across the right lane. The Freightliner came to rest in the right lane. The third semi was bumped but received no damage. He was able to drive away after checking for injuries.
No one was injured in the second crash. No citations have been issued at this time. The crash remains under investigation.
Sorry, I have no pictures of either crash.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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