LAKE COUNTY, IND. – An Illinois man died Thursday morning following a crash on the Indiana Toll Road.
Indiana State Police Dispatch began receiving calls of a serious crash between two vehicles on the Indiana Toll Road near the 8.3 mile marker in the westbound lanes. Troopers from the Indiana State Police Lowell Post and the Indiana State Police Toll Road Post responded. The Indiana Toll Road notified the public of the crash at 5:30 a.m. on social media.
A preliminary investigation indicates that a passenger car traveling westbound is believed to have crashed into the center concrete barrier wall and then become disabled in the westbound passing lane, facing north. The driver of the Honda passenger car was allegedly standing outside his vehicle when it was struck in the right rear by an SUV, driven by 20-year-old Illinois resident that was also traveling westbound. The driver of the passenger car sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Lake County Coroner. The driver of the SUV was transported to a local hospital and treated and released.
Toxicology reports are pending. Westbound lanes of the Toll Road reopened just before 9:15 a.m. after the conclusion of on-scene crash investigation and removal of the vehicles. The Lake County Coroner will release the name of the deceased once family notification has been made.