HOBART, Ind. (WLS) — A crash on southbound Interstate 65 near Ridge Road resulted in the deaths of three juveniles and serious injuries to two others early Friday morning.
Indiana State Police responded to the incident around midnight, finding a blue Ford Explorer blocking the right two lanes of the highway. According to authorities, the Ford, driven by a 31-year-old woman from Gary, veered off the road and collided with a white Freightliner Cascadia parked on the right shoulder due to mechanical issues.
The crash caused “catastrophic damage” to both vehicles. The driver of the Ford suffered upper body injuries and was transported to Franciscan Hospital in critical condition. The semi-truck driver was uninjured.
Inside the Ford, four juveniles were present. One unrestrained juvenile in the front passenger seat was ejected and died at the scene, while two others in the rear seats also died on impact. A fourth juvenile, improperly restrained in the third-row middle seat, sustained severe injuries and was airlifted to the University of Chicago Medical Center.
The ages and genders of the deceased juveniles have not yet been disclosed. Indiana State Police are submitting felony charges against the Ford’s driver to the Lake County prosecutor for review. Further details are pending.