Terre Haute, IL : Truck driver failed to stop for slowing traffic in the westbound lanes of I-70 and struck another tractor-trailer on Monday afternoon July 14th 2014

A man who died Monday afternoon in an Interstate 70 crash near the 30-mile marker has been identified as a Hendricks County resident.

Robert P. Deakin, 46, of Avon, died of blunt force trauma, according to Putnam County Coroner Dave Brown.

The Freightliner tractor Deakin was driving failed to stop for slowing traffic in the westbound lanes of I-70 and struck another tractor-trailer in the rear. Deakin was pronounced dead at the scene. His tractor-trailer was owned by Phoenix Metals of Middletown, Ohio.

The accident closed the westbound lanes of the interstate for several hours, resulting in a detour that took traffic off I-70 at the Cloverdale exit of U.S. 231, then north to U.S. 40 through Brazil, and south on Indiana 59 to I-70. Westbound traffic was backed up on U.S. 40 through eastern Clay County for several hours.

Indiana State Police and Putnam County emergency agencies responded to the crash at 12:36 p.m.

The investigation revealed that westbound traffic was slowing for a construction zone that began near the 29-mile marker near the Clay County line. Traffic was required to move into the right driving lane. Deakin’s westbound semi failed to slow and rear-ended another tractor-trailer, forcing that semi into the rear of the passenger car. Neither semi was loaded at the time of the crash.

The two other drivers involved were transported to Putnam County Hospital at Greencastle with non-life-threatening injuries.

Thomas Scorg, 59, of Parke, Colo., was driving a Chevrolet Cavalier passenger car. It was rear-ended by a semi driven by Arron Smith, 50 of Dillsboro, Ind.

Source :
Truck driver in deadly I-70 crash ID’d