Northwest Indiana- The Indiana State Police were on a full callout with the recent cold weather and snow that we experienced last weekend. Lowell Troopers had their days off cancelled, and all sworn troopers, including detectives, lab personnel, and special investigations reported to NWI roadways to assist with calls for service.
During the storm, the following statistics were compiled. This is not a complete total, but a snapshot of the incidents that were tracked from January 24th to January 28th.
- Property Damage Crashes- 180
- Injury Involved Crashes- 30
- Fatal Crashes- 1
- Slide Offs (no crash report)- 54
- Assist Motorists- 106
- Interstate Checks- 64
- Traffic Hazards- 10
- Trooper Cars Struck- 2
A significant number of the crashes investigated were the result of drivers traveling at a speed too fast for the road/weather conditions, and troopers were issuing tickets for that specific statute at crash scenes. While Lowell sustained two trooper cars hit, there were 11 troopers struck throughout the state. The trooper cars that were hit, were struck while the trooper was parked and investigating a prior, unrelated crash. The Lowell Crash Reconstruction Team also responded to Porter County to investigate the crash on S.R. 49, where the Porter County Deputy was struck by a vehicle.
Lieutenant Terrance Weems, Commander of the Lowell Post, stated, “A majority of these crashes were preventable. In just four days, we saw 211 crashes. Your driving decisions matter to not only you, but they affect the drivers around you.”