Troopers Investigate Fatal Crash on I-65
Hobart- This evening, at approximately 5:15 p.m., Indiana State Police troopers responded to a three-vehicle crash on northbound I-65 at the 253.6 mile-marker. This location is beneath the 73rd Avenue overpass. The crash involved a yellow bus towing a passenger car, an SUV, and a pickup truck. The bus was a retired school bus that had been converted into a recreational vehicle.
Preliminary investigation indicates the bus/RV struck the bridge support for the 73rd Avenue overpass. The force of the impact resulted in fatal injuries to the driver of the bus/RV, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. A passenger in the bus/RV was airlifted by UCAN to the University of Chicago Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the SUV was not severely injured.
During the investigation, the driver of the pickup truck, identified as David K. Rodgers, 48, of Gary, Indiana, displayed signs of alcohol impairment. An OWI investigation was initiated by investigating troopers. Rodgers became combative and resisted troopers before being taken into custody. He was transported to a local hospital, where a search warrant for a blood draw was obtained and executed. Following the blood draw, Rodgers was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he is being held on a probable cause hold for Operating While Intoxicated involving a fatality.
The crash remains under investigation/reconstruction and toxicology results are pending. Indiana State Police are requesting the public’s assistance. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dash camera footage of the events leading up to the crash is asked to contact Trooper Hathaway at 219-696-6242.
