Preliminary investigation by Trooper Maenza and Trooper Hieb shows that a 1997 Mercury Mountaineer was traveling on the ramp from southbound Cline Avenue to I-80/94 westbound when for unknown reasons, the vehicle left the traveled portion of the roadway. The vehicle continued traveling south down an embankment, causing the vehicle to overturn. As the vehicle rolled down the hill, the driver was ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle came to a final uncontrolled rest facing east on the ramp from I-80/94 west to southbound Cline Avenue. The driver of the Mountaineer, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was declared deceased at the scene by the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
Notification to the family of the deceased is pending identification of the driver by the Lake County Coroner. Once identification has been made, that agency will release the information.
Assisting at the scene were the following: Double T Towing, Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Hammond Fire/EMS, Indiana State Police Reconstructionist M/Trp. McFarrin, Trp. Baumeister, Trp. Dykstra and Trp. Garcia.