Indiana Accident News

Detached Semi Truck Trailer Crosses I-69 Median Killing Muncie Man

The Star Press of east central Indiana reported that a fatal vehicle accident took plac on Interstate 69 in Pendleton, IN, twenty miles northeast of Indianapolis, on Friday morning just before 9 a.m. The crash took place between a sedan and detached semi trailer and closed the interstate for five hours during the morning commute in the southbound lanes.

Sixty-year-old Vernon Miller was the driver of the truck, a 2007 Freightliner 18-wheeler carrying batteries. The truck is registered to the company Rural King Farm Supply. When Miller lost control of his big rig, he crashed into the left-hand steel tension wires that help prevent cross-over accidents. However, the impact served to detach the trailer from the cab and sent the trailer across the median and into incoming southbound traffic.

Chris Ransom, also 60, was driving his Chevrolet south and slide into the oncoming trailer, partially going underneath the cargo carrier. Police reported that he was unable to avoid the oncoming object. He died at the scene of the accident.

A third vehicle driven by 55-year-old Natalie Stoner of Pendleton spun out after hitting crash debris but was not injured. Miller, who was also uninjured, was taken to St. Vincent's Medical Center for a mandatory blood draw - a procedure used in fatal crashes to determine if substances were a factor in the crash.

Indiana State Police Sergeant Mike Burns reported that the safety barrier, which is designed to stop car impacts, could not handle the heavy, large semi.

"It is still unknown what caused Miller to lose control," said Burns, who added that Ransom was wearing a seat belt and had no way to avoid the collision. Although the road was wet at the time of the crash, but officials are doubtful that road conditions played a factor in the accident. More likely, the collision was caused by either driver error or mechanical failure.

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