Crown Point- Earlier today, August 3rd, at 2:00 P.M., Troopers from the Indiana State Police Lowell Post responded to the report of a multiple vehicle crash that occurred on Interstate 65 in the northbound lanes at the 251.0 mile marker and left one driver seriously injured. The 251.0 mile marker is located two miles south of US-30.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Elias-Espinoza determined that a black 2019 Chevrolet Impala, being driven by Austin Slivka, 25, of Lake Village, IN, was traveling in the left lane when he rear-ended a silver 2018 Ford EcoSport at a high rate of speed. The collision forced the Ford to rear-end a black 2014 BMW which, in turn, rear-ended a fourth vehicle, a red 2014 Ford F-150 pickup truck. The crash caused all northbound lanes of travel to be blocked.
As a result of the crash, Mr. Silvka was partially ejected from his vehicle which caused his left arm to go through the front windshield and resulted in major lacerations to his arm. Two good Samaritans who were on-scene, Kevin Kohn of St. Augustine, Florida, and Charles Hilltunen of Indianapolis, immediately rendered aid to Mr. Slivka by placing a tourniquet on his injured arm. When the first tourniquet did not stop the bleeding, they attempted to create a second tourniquet by utilizing a shoelace and a screwdriver. The efforts by Mr. Kohn and Mr. Hilltunen slowed the bleeding enough until Sergeant Partyka of the Indiana State Police was able to arrive on-scene where she placed a third and final tourniquet on Mr. Slivka’s injured arm. Mr. Slivka was then transported by ambulance to Franciscan Health in Crown Point for immediate treatment. No other injuries were reported on-scene.
All northbound lanes were closed for approximately one hour for crash investigation. Assisting troopers on-scene was the Crown Point Fire Department, Crown Point EMS, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Hoosier Helpers and Waffco Towing.
