Family of Five Dies In Fiery 1-65 Truck Crash In NW Indiana

Posted on Jul 23, 2009
A family vacation to Florida to visit relatives and Disney World came to a tragic end on June 26 when two 18-wheeler trucks crushed a young family's pickup truck. According to Indiana State Police, the Workman family was driving southbound on I-65 in Crown Point, IN, at the time of deadly, fiery truck accident.

All five family members hailing from Hobart, Indiana, were killed in the fatal Indiana truck accident, including 33-year-old Brian Workman, 31-year-old Joanna Workman, 13-year-old Ashley Workman, 8-year-old Tyler Workman, and one-year-old Ryan Workman. Friends and neighbors of the family described them as a kind, picture-perfect family that was involved in the community.

The car accident and car fire occurred when a big rig slowed for traffic near the intersection of U.S. 231 - police were chasing a car that had refused to stop and were pursuing a suspect on foot. The Workman's car could not stop in time and rear-ended the truck. The tractor-trailer behind the Workman's car also could not stop in time and sandwiched the pickup between the two much larger vehicles. The car was crushed and then caught on fire with all five passengers trapped inside.

A Lake County coroner's spokesman told Times reporters that the family died of blunt force trauma and also suffered severe burns. Both trucks were carrying double trailers at the time of the truck accident. Neither truck driver was seriously injured in the car accident although one truck did catch fire during the collision.
James R. Keller
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