I-80 crash kills Griffith man, injures 4

June 13, 2012 (LAKE COUNTY, Ind.) (WLS) -- Rush hour traffic was closed on westbound I-80 for two hours Tuesday night after a fatal crash between a semi, a moving van and a four-door car.

Around 5 p.m., a Two Men and A Truck moving van from Osceola, Ind., stalled in the middle right lane of the four westbound lanes. The 22-year-old driver from Mishawaka, Ind., said the engine light came on and the truck broke down. Indiana State Police say the trick's four-way emergency lights were activated.

A semi scraped the driver's side of the moving van as it sat disabled. The semi continued westbound without stopping. Shortly thereafter, the moving van was also hit from behind.

A white, 1998 Dodge Dakota extended-cab pick-up driven by Joshua Garner, 20, of Griffith, Indiana, was changing lanes when he hit the rear of the moving van. Garner was pronounced dead at the scene by the Lake County Coroner of massive blunt force trauma. Family was notified.

In the car with Garner were four passengers  two men and two women  ages 17-20. Garner's 19-year-old sister and an 18-year-old man from Thornton, Ill., were taken to hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. A 17-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man, both from Lansing, Ill., had to be extricated from the vehicle and suffered serious, life-threatening injuries, Indiana State Police said.

Indiana State Police say alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash.

Get more Local »

local

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•