2 children, teen killed in I-65 semi crash in Northwest Indiana overnight; another child, driver critically injured
Two children and a teenager were killed, and one child and one adult were critically injured in a crash between a car and semi-trailer truck on Interstate 65 in northwest Indiana overnight.
According to the Hobart Fire Department, they were called to a traffic crash overnight in the southbound lanes of I-65.
Indiana State Police said they responded to the crash at about 12 a.m. on Friday for a crash about a mile south of Ridge Road.
State police said a blue Ford Explorer was blocking the right two lanes after rear-ending a white semi trailer at high speed. State police said the semi truck was parked on the right shoulder at the time of the crash to attend to a mechanical issue.
Police said they believe the driver, a 31-year-old woman from Gary, had fallen asleep while driving. The Explorer left the road and was catastrophically damaged in the crash. The semi-trailer was also damaged.
There were three
Authorities said there were three children and a teenager in the car at the time of the crash. Two of the children and the teen were killed. Police said none of them were properly restrained, and one of them was thrown from the vehicle.
A GoFundMe created by a family friend identified the children killed as 9-year-old Royce Sims, 5-year-old Artavius Sims and 19-year-old Raniah Simpson. Their brother, 7-year-old Terrion, was hospitalized after he was injured in the crash.
The Lake County Coroner's Office said Raniah, Royce, and Artavius all died from blunt force trauma injuries.
The driver was also critically injured and taken by ambulance to Franciscan Hospital in Crown Point for treatment, state police said.
Lanes were shut down for hours because of the crash. Both the reconstruction team and Lake County, Indiana, Coroner's Office responded to the scene, Hobart fire officials said.
Indiana State Police said they believe alcohol may have been a factor in the crash. Charges against the driver are pending.
The incident remains under investigation.