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UPDATED: One killed in Friday collision on Interstate 70
CLOVERDALE — A Delaware woman was killed Friday in a collision on Interstate 70 that involved a semi.
An investigation found that a semi driven by Bhagwant Singh, 49, Indianapolis, was traveling in the westbound passing lane at about 10:30 a.m. toward the 35-mile marker. Traffic was slowed or stopped and down to one lane at the time from a previous incident.
While its hazard lights were activated, Singh was stopped when he felt an impact in the rear of the semi. It was determined that a pickup truck driven by Norma Rivera, 54, New Castle, Del., was also in the passing lane and crashed into the semi.
Rivera succumbed to her injuries and was declared dead at the scene by the Putnam County Coroner’s Office.
Meanwhile, two passengers in the pickup, an adult and a child, were airlifted by Indiana University Health LifeLine and Air Evac Lifeteam to Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis with no life-threatening injuries. Singh was not injured.
Along with the Indiana State Police and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Cloverdale Township Volunteer Fire Department and Putnam County EMS responded.
Curtis Wrecker was called to retrieve the pickup truck. The Greencastle Fire Department also covered Cloverdale Township Fire’s station during the response.
The incident led to traffic congestion that extended to the intersection of U.S. 231 and U.S. 40 near South Putnam High School, as well as at the Putnam-Clay county line into Brazil.
Coroner Todd Zeiner told the Banner Graphic that an autopsy on Saturday showed that Rivera died on the impact with the semi.
Fatigue after extended driving was determined to be the most likely factor in the incident. Drugs and alcohol were ruled out as such.
Zeiner also related that the passengers were recently released from the hospital, and that their family expressed appreciation for the first responders who cared for them.