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Last updated on Thursday, December 22, 2011
(BLOOMFIELD) - Two adults and four children were sent to area hospitals with injuries after a van and a truck collided east of Bloomfield.
The accident snarled traffic in both lanes of Ind. 54 for several hours Tuesday evening.
According to Indiana State Police, Crystal Jefferson, 28, of Bloomington was driving a 2005 Dodge van and was headed east on Ind. 54 (just west of County Road 625 East) at 7:25 p.m. Police said she rounded a sweeping right curve and went left of the center line into the westbound lane. That is when she collided with a 2006 Ford truck driven by Pamela J. Todd, 53, of Bloomfield.
The van ended up in the eastbound lane after the crash; the truck ended up off the north side of the road.
Statements Jefferson made to police at the scene "indicated driver distraction most likely caused her to leave her lane into the westbound lane" and into the path of the truck.
The police report by senior Trooper Eric Russell also notes that witnesses to the crash, driving behind Jefferson's van, said she was driving "erratically."
Jefferson was taken to Greene County General Hospital with internal injuries, broken bones and an injury to her shoulder.
Four Bloomington children in Jefferson's van were transported to area hospitals with various injuries.
A five-year-old girl suffered serious trauma, internal injuries and cardiac arrest. She was taken to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
A 7-year-old girl was taken to Greene County General Hospital with facial injuries, bleeding, hip pain and a possible fracture.
A two-year-old boy suffered seat belt marks on the throat and a 4-year-old boy suffered minor injuries. Both were taken to Greene County General Hospital and later released.
Todd was taken to Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital with a broken arm. The lower part of her body was also crushed in the accident.
The van and the truck are considered totaled after the accident and were towed from the scene.
Four ambulances and two fire departments assisted at the scene.
The road was closed in both directions for hours, and traffic stalled for miles while troopers reconstructed the crash.
The accident is still under investigation and charges are pending.
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