LaPorte County- This morning (1/6/2022) at 5:30 a.m., Trooper Kevin Council was dispatched to a single vehicle rollover crash on I-94 eastbound lanes at the 36.8 mile-marker. The vehicle, a red, 2005 Dodge Ram, had rolled to a final rest in the far-right lane. The driver, David Mahaffey, from Westville, IN, exited his vehicle and was standing away from it when his vehicle was struck by a white, 2005 Chevrolet cargo van. After hitting the truck, the van spun directly into the path of a semi tractor-trailer. That semi then struck the passenger side of the van. The driver of a fourth vehicle, a black, 2007 GMC truck, saw the collisions taking place, attempted to avoid the collision, and spun out. After losing control, his vehicle struck the center median wall, and then hit the trailer of the semi.
A passenger in the van was declared deceased at the scene by the LaPorte County Coroner. A second passenger in the van was critically injured and was later flown to Chicago for treatment. A third passenger in the van was initially pinned in the van and later transported to Franciscan Health Hospital in Michigan City for treatment. The driver of the GMC, Nolan Beavers, from Merrillville, IN was not injured. The driver of the semi, Mark White, from Mason, Michigan, was not injured. Mr. Mahaffey, the driver of the original crash, was also not injured.
Assisting at the scene: Cloverleaf Towing, Ace Towing, LaPorte County EMS, Coolspring Twp. Fire, ISP Reconstruction, ISP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, INDOT, and the LaPorte County Coroner.
The roadway was closed for 4.5 hours for crash investigation and cleanup.