A pair of Indiana State Troopers were injured Wednesday when a tractor-trailer struck their car while they were diverting traffic on Interstate 69 in northern Vanderburgh County.
Indiana State Police say at about 9:10 CST Wednesday morning the two troopers were assisting the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department at a property damage crash involving a semi and a passenger vehicle on I-69 southbound near the 17-mile marker.
The pair were in their patrol car as it was parked in the passing lane diverting traffic into the driving lane. Police say the vehicle’s emergency red and blue lights were activated, and southbound traffic had been moving over to the driving lane without any problems.
67-year old Gary Pride of Otwell, was driving his tractor-trailer southbound on I-69 and for unknown reasons failed to move over. The tractor crashed into the rear of the patrol car.
After the initial impact, the patrol car was pushed across both lanes and into the guardrail on the west side of I-69. The tractor-trailer drove into the driving lane striking a car that was traveling south in the driving lane. The vehicle came to a final rest on the shoulder.
The tractor-trailer then struck the guardrail and the concrete bridge wall on the west side before rolling onto its driver’s side and partially onto the car.
Police say the tractor-trailer was hauling a load of soybeans which spilled over both southbound lanes. The truck driver and the driver of the car 45-year old JoAnna Cochren of Petersburg, were not injured.
Both troopers were transported to Deaconess Gateway Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries and later released.
Pride was cited for failing to yield the right of way to a stationary emergency vehicle.
Troopers typically patrol solo, but one of the men is a new trooper and he’s currently working with other troopers during his training process.
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department assisted at the scene.
