LAKE COUNTY – Friday evening at approximately 9:35 p.m., State Troopers from the Indiana State Police Toll Road Post responded to a two-vehicle crash that occurred at the 4.1 mile-marker on I-80/90, near the Calumet Avenue exit of the Indiana Toll Road.
Preliminary investigation on-scene revealed that a black 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-90. The Jeep struck a red 2004 Freightliner semi-tractor pulling a trailer head-on. The male driver of the Jeep was ejected from the vehicle and was declared deceased at the scene by the Lake County Coroner. The crash caused both vehicles to catch on fire and become fully engulfed. The driver of the semi was not injured.
Identification of the deceased will be made by the Lake County Coroner’s Office as well as notification of next of kin. It is unclear at this time if alcohol and/or drugs played a factor in the crash.
The eastbound lanes of the Indiana Toll Road were closed for approximately five hours for crash investigation and clean-up.
Troopers were assisted on-scene by Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Lake County Coroner, Hammond Fire Department, and Waffco Towing.
