Hobart- This afternoon (9/25/2023) at approximately 3:45 p.m., the Lowell Regional Dispatch Center received calls of a multi-vehicle crash with injuries that was blocking all lanes of I-65 southbound at the 254.7 mile-marker. This location is just south of the 61st Ave. overpass.
Troopers responded to the scene and located four vehicles in the roadway and a fifth vehicle on the right shoulder. Preliminary investigation shows a Chevy S10, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, and a Chevy Malibu (in that order, front to back) were in the right lane on the hillcrest, slowed in heavy traffic.
A Dodge Grand Caravan, driven by Joseph Llano, 39, of Merrillville, Indiana, was traveling southbound on I-65 in the right lane. The driver was distracted and did not observe that traffic had significantly slowed ahead of him. He rear-ended the Chevy Malibu causing it to hit the Ford Fusion. The Ford Fusion struck the rear of the Honda Accord which then rear-ended the Chevy S10.
The driver of the Chevy Malibu, a 40-year-old female from Michigan City, was unable to get out of her vehicle due to her injuries. She was extricated by the Merrillville Fire Department and taken by UCAN to the University of Chicago for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Ford Fusion was taken by Superior Ambulance for complaint of pain to an area hospital. Three juveniles in the Grand Caravan were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital by Superior Ambulance for complaint of pain.
Neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected to be factors in this crash. The roadway was closed in both directions to land the helicopter, then just southbound lanes for clean-up and removal of vehicles. The crash snarled southbound traffic for several hours during the evening rush hour.
Assisting at the crash scene was Merrillville Fire, Superior Ambulance, UCAN, Waffco Towing, and Hoosier Helpers.
