Two crashes involving a total of six vehicles kept LaPorte County Sheriff’s Deputies busy Monday at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Fail Road.
Officers were first called to the intersection around 10:50 a.m. They believe a semi-tractor trailer heading eastbound on U.S. 20 disregarded the stoplight and hit a silver 2005 Lexus heading north on Fail Road. The crash ruptured the semi tractor’s fuel tank, leaking about 100 gallons of fuel. LaPorte County’s Hazardous Materials Unit was called to help clean up the area.
Then, when deputies were getting ready to leave the scene around noon, a chain reaction crash occurred at the same intersection, when a westbound semi-tractor trailer was slowing down as it approached the stoplight. It was rear-ended by a second semi, which was rear-ended by another semi, which was rear-ended by a box truck.
In the end, three of the four trucks had to be removed by wrecker services, and the driver of the box truck was injured with complaints of chest pain. One westbound lane of U.S. 20 was closed for an hour while that crash was investigated.
LaPorte County Emergency Medical Service and the Kankakee Township Fire Department also assisted the Sheriff’s Office.
