(MONTGOMERY CO.) – A person was killed in a crash Monday morning on I-74 in Montgomery County.
State police say the accident happened around 7:20 a.m. on westbound I-74 when a semi hit a car.
Police say the car, a gray 2013 Dodge Journey, hit a deer, which disabled the car in the right lane. They say the car did not appear to have operational lights working after it hit the deer.
Later a red 2019 Kenworth semi owned by Dusharm Transport out of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, was in the right lane and the driver did not see the disabled Dodge Journey. Officers say the semi hit the car from behind, pushed it through the median, and into a ditch. That blocked both lanes of traffic.
The driver of the Dodge was Christina Mendoza, 26, of Hillsboro. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the Montgomery County Coroner.
The semi driver, Kenneth Dusharm, 55, of Carmel, was not injured.
Police don’t think alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, but they said the road was wet and there was light fog.
The interstate was closed for about four and a half hours.