HAMMOND, Ind. — A multi-vehicle crash has claimed the life of one person and left two more people with potentially life-threatening injuries, resulting in delayed traffic on eastbound 1-80/94 at Calumet Avenue in Lake County.
Sgt. Glen Fifield with the Indiana State Police said eastbound I-94 will be closed for several hours, though one lane remains open. Westbound lanes are also experiencing delays.
According to ISP troopers, around 1:25 p.m., first responders arrived at the Columbia Avenue overpass between Calumet Avenue and Indianapolis Boulevard. An early investigation showed that a semi was traveling in the second lane from the left and was slowing in traffic.
Troopers add that a Kia Sorento SUV that was either slowing or stopped behind the semi was rear-ended by another semi at a high rate of speed.
The initial impact pushed the Kia underneath the trailer of the front semi.
As a result of the crash, a third semi was also rear-ended.
A passenger in the Kia Sorento SUV died at the scene. The driver of the Kia and a child passenger were hospitalized.
Identification of the deceased Kia Sorento SUV passenger will be released pending family notification.
A crash investigation continues.