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Cement Truck Tips Over Onto SUV, Killing Passenger

Last updated on Wednesday, June 27, 2012

(PUTNAM COUNTY) - A cement truck tipped over onto an SUV, killing a passenger inside the SUV, police said.

The incident happened shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday on eastbound Interstate 70 near the Putnam-Clay county line.

A 2002 Ford Explorer driven by Georgia Mathews, 70, was stopped in the eastbound lane due to construction. Her husband, Willis Lee Mathews, 74, was in the front passenger seat and her sister-in-law, Margaret Mathews, 73, was in the right rear passenger seat. All three are from Indianapolis.

The left wheels of the cement truck, driven by William R. Lindeman, 51, of Spencer, Ind., dropped into wet concrete, causing Lindeman to lose control. The cement truck veered to the left and overturned onto the SUV.

The cement truck was hauling cement and weighed approximately 70,000 pounds.

Georgia Mathews was uninjured and able to free herself from the SUV.

Willis Mathews was trapped in the vehicle for nearly 110 minutes before being extricated by fire crews. He was airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis with lower leg injuries and internal injuries.

Margaret Mathews was pronounced dead at the scene of blunt force trauma by Putnam County Deputy Coroner Steve Walters.

Lindeman was taken to Putnam County Hospital with non-life-threatening internal injuries.

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