12/17/13 West bound traffic on US 30 just east of US 31 was stalled for hours yesterday afternoon when a chain-reaction crash involving four semis at the intersection of King Road blocked both lanes of traffic.
The 9-1-1 call came into the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department at 2:13 Monday. Indiana State Police are investigating that accident that they say may have been caused by a sleepy driver.
The accident occurred as traffic was stopped for the light. Skender Emini, 36, of Ellyn, IL told police he briefly fell asleep and seconds later when he woke up he was approaching the semis stopped at the light. Although he tried to stop and avoid a collision he struck there wasn’t enough time. Colliding with slowed traffic a tank of argon gas being transported on a flat bed semi fell onto US 30. Although the tank leaked some gas, it was not enough to need a hazmat team respond to the site.
Injured in the crash was Jeffery Wildermuth, 55, of Westville, IN. He was transported to Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Plymouth for back and neck injuries.
Westbound traffic was diverted onto State Road 331 while emergency responders and towing companies responded to the scene. Just before 5 p.m. both lanes of US 30 were opened to traffic.
