BAKERS CORNER, IN – A semi driver was arrested Friday, December 10, after a deadly truck accident at a highway intersection in Hamilton County, Indiana. The fatal collision occurred just north of Indianapolis at the juncture of 236th Street and U.S. Highway 31 in Bakers Corner. The truck accident area is in the central region of Indiana, about 146 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky and about 169 miles southeast of Chicago, Illinois.
Late Friday morning 47 year old truck driver Tarrance Lee of South Bend, IN was southbound on US 31, driving a semi trailer truck through Hamilton County, IN. The driver was carrying a load of steel cables in the trailer section of his rig when the truck accident occurred. The driver is employed by Storm Trucking, based out of South Bend. His destination is not known at this time.
At about 11:40 a.m. on Friday the semi driver was on the north edge of the Indianapolis metro region and was approaching 236th Street in Bakers Corner. According to police, when Mr. Lee reached the juncture he allegedly ignored a red stop light and entered the intersection. The 18 wheeler slammed into a white mini van which was traveling east on 236th. The van had the right of way at the time of the truck accident.
The tractor trailer continued forward, pushing the white van until it was pinned up against a tree. The force of the broadside collision crushed the left side of the van which had three people inside. David Clouser, 65, of Carmel, IN, was behind the wheel of the minivan at the time of the truck accident. His two passengers were Michael Zimmer of London, Ohio and Jeffrey Pinn of Rochester, New York. Mr. Clouser worked as a recruiter for a trucking company. The two men were truck drivers who had just completed training and Mr. Clouser was transporting them to their semi trailers. Mr. Clouser had just announced his plans to retire the day before the crash.
Indianapolis police and rescue workers rushed to the scene of the two vehicle collision after receiving several 911 calls. Sadly, Mr. Clouser suffered fatal injuries in the truck accident and was already dead by the time help arrived at the crash site. The three victims were trapped in the crumpled minivan and emergency personnel would have to cut through the metal to free the men. After almost two hours they were able to reach the two surviving semi drivers. They were treated and stabilized at the crash site and then medically airlifted in Flight for Life helicopters to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Mr. Pinn has internal injuries and Mr. Zimmer has injuries to his leg. The severity of their conditions has not been not released.
Mr. Lee, the driver of the semi trailer, was not injured in the deadly truck accident. The front cab section of his 18 wheeler had some damage but the load of steel cables appeared to have stayed on the trailer. There were no reports of fuel spilling out at the crash site. The intersection would be closed for several hours while crews cleared the traffic lanes and removed the destroyed minivan. State and local police reconstructed the incident and talked to witnesses.
Police investigating the truck accident attempted to get the driver to submit to a required blood test and breathalyzer test, but the truck driver refused. Officials also found that the semi driver either falsified his log books or misrepresented them to the investigating officers. At that point Mr. Lee was placed under arrest and placed in handcuffs. He was taken from the site of the fatal collision and was being held at the Hamilton County Jail.
At this time the semi driver has been charged with Criminal Recklessness with a Motor Vehicle Causing Death and False Informing. According to an official Mr. Lee may have his truck driver’s license suspended for refusing to submit to the toxicology tests. Additional charges could also be brought pending the completion of the truck accident investigation.
Provided By: truckaccidents360.com
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