March 30, 2010
(JASPER COUNTY, Ind.) A semi truck driver injured in a four-truck pile-up on I-65 in in northwest Indiana on Monday morning has died.
The pile-up came after traffic was slowed and stopped from an earlier crash on I-65 in Jasper County, according to Indiana State Police.
At approximately 10:32 a.m., as northbound traffic at the 201 mile-marker -- just north of U.S. 24 -- was slowed/stopped because of an earlier crash, a 2007 Freightliner box trailer was in the right lane slowing or stopping when it was hit in the rear by a 2005 Freightliner box trailer, according to a release from ISP.
The 2005 Freightliner was then hit in the rear by a 2007 International box trailer, which was hit in the rear by a 1999 Freightliner hauling a rail car.
The driver of the 1999 Freightliner, identified as Mandeep S. Nagra, 47 of Menomonee Falls, Wis., was trapped inside his cab and had to be extricated by fire personnel, the release said.
He was then flown by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis with critical injuries. He died late Monday of his injuries, state police said.
His truck is owned by Oak Lawn-based Pope Transport. The tractor portion was totally destroyed, police said.
The driver of the 2007 Freightliner, Mark W. Brafett, 53, of West Terre Haute, Ind., was not injured, police said. His truck, owned by Transport Corporation of America of Eagan, Minn., had damage only to the trailer.
Richard T. Stroud, 51 of Paducah, Ky., who was driving tthe 2005 Freightliner -- owned by Brown Transport of Paducah -- was taken to Jasper County Hospital in Rensselaer with neck and back pain. The front cab and trailer of his truck was damaged.
The driver of the 2007 International, owned by Hogan Transport of St. Louis, Mo., Steven D. Rowland, 53, of Florissant, Mo., was taken to Jasper County Hospital with a leg injury, the release said. There was heavy front end and trailer damage to his truck.
Northbound I-65 was closed for about six hours following the crash for removal of vehicles and cleanup.
At the time of the crash, Indiana State Police and the Indiana Department of Transportation had informational signage and police cars intermittently staggered throughout the back-up and also at the rear, according to the release.