A press release from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office shares that on the morning of May 17th around 12:46am, deputies responded to the area of US 20 and Michigan Street in reference to a crash.
The crash involved a passenger vehicle and a commercial motor vehicle.
The initial on-scene investigation completed by Deputy Jon Sikorski and assisting deputies determined the following had occurred.
The crash scene was located on US 20 several hundred feet west of Michigan Street. US 20 traffic is restricted in this area due to a roadway construction project. The traffic pattern is one (1) eastbound lane of travel and one (1) westbound lane of travel. The northern portion of US 20, what would be the two (2) westbound lanes under normal circumstances, was being utilized for the restricted traffic flow in the construction zone.
A gold 1995 Nissan passenger vehicle had been traveling east on US 20. The vehicle drove left of center and collided with a purple 2000 Kenworth semi-tractor/trailer combination. The passenger vehicle crashed into a rear axle on the semi-tractor and then the trailer.
The passenger vehicle was being operated by 48-year-old Clemie B. Chapman of La Porte. Chapman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The CMV was being operated by 30-year-old Pawel Glista of Joliet, Illinois. Glista was uninjured.
Toxicology test results are pending. No further information is available for release.
Assisting: Captain Jeff Wright, Sergeant Scott Lanoue, Deputy Austin Howell, Kankakee Township Volunteer Fire Department, La Porte County EMS, La Porte County Coroner’s Office, and Stan’s Towing.
