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Last updated on Saturday, June 9, 2018
(SEYMOUR) - Traffic came to a standstill along a few local roads after a two-vehicle wreck early Friday morning on Interstate 65 just north of Seymour.
Indiana State Police say only minor injuries were reported.
The wreck was reported at 6:45 a.m.,
The accident closed the northbound lanes of the interstate between the Uniontown exit at the 41-mile-marker and the Jonesville exit at the 55-mile-marker for more than seven hours while police investigated the accident, crews cleaned up the wreckage and did repairs to the interstate.
Traffic was diverted onto State Road 250 in Uniontown to get to U.S. 31 to head north until reaching Seymour. Vehicles then either continued north on U.S. 31 or used U.S. 50 to get to State Road 11 to re-enter the interstate.
According to ISP Trooper Seth Davidson ia 2017 Freightliner hauling a box trailer being driven by 61-year-old Gary Garza, of Girard, Ohio, was traveling north in the right lane near the 51-mile-marker. He changed lanes and struck a northbound 2012 Ford Escape being driven by 57-year-old Juan Soto, of Griffin, Georgia.
Soto's vehicle was pushed into the guardrail in the median of the interstate before coming to a stop.
Garza's tractor-trailer hit a guardrail and a concrete bridge barrier before it overturned in the middle of the northbound lanes and caught fire. Garza and a 60-year-old male passenger were able to escape the semi before it was engulfed with flames.
The passenger was transported by ambulance to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Soto and his 14-year-old female passenger were transported to the Seymour hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The semi and trailer and its contents, merchandise for QVC were destroyed in the fire.
The crash remains under investigation, but drugs and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the crash.
The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, Seymour Police Department, Seymour Fire Department, Redding Township Volunteer Fire Department, Hamilton Township Volunteer Fire Department, Jackson-Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department, Indiana Department of Transportation, E&B Paving and 31 Wrecker Service.
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