ALLEN CO., Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana State Police are investigating a fatal crash on I-69 Wednesday. It happened around 2:15 p.m. at the CR11A interchange (mile marker 326) in DeKalb County. The collision resulted in the death of a 22-year-old woman from Indianapolis, while another individual sustained critical injuries.
ISP says that a preliminary investigation reveals that a 2008 Ford Edge, driven by 22-year-old Mia Stevens of Indianapolis, was traveling northbound on I-69 near mile marker 326. At the time of the crash, the northbound lanes had been narrowed due to a bridge construction project just north of mile marker 326, causing traffic to come to a stop in both lanes, leading to congestion and vehicles merging.
ISP released the following:
The Indiana State Police is investigating a fatal vehicle crash that occurred this afternoon at approximately 2:15pm on Interstate 69 at the CR11A interchange (326mm), DeKalb County. The crash claimed the life of a twenty-two year old Indianapolis women and critically injured another.
According to the preliminary crash investigation, a 2008 Ford Edge passenger car, operated by Mia Stevens, 22, of Indianapolis, was traveling northbound I69 at the 326-mile marker. This northbound stretch of interstate currently has a lane closure for bridge work being conducted north of the 326mm. Traffic was stopped in both lanes at the time due to the construction and merging traffic.
Investigators believe that Stevens did not notice the stopped traffic in time to get stopped, and therefore did not have enough time and distance to get stopped, instead swerving abruptly from the passing lane toward the driving lane to avoid a collision. In doing so, the driver’s side of the Ford Edge struck the rear of a 2024 Volvo semi-tractor/trailer that was stopped in the driving lane. It is estimated that Stevens’s vehicle was traveling at highway speed at the time of the collision.
As a result of the collision, Mia Stevens suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by the DeKalb County Coroner. Family notifications have been made.
A passenger in Stevens’s car, Meghan Houston, 22, of Indianapolis, suffered critical injuries and was transported from the scene by Parkview EMS to PRMC in Fort Wayne. Her condition was unknown at the time of this release. The driver of the semi-tractor, Ruslan Velhan, 44, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, was not injured.
Northbound lanes of travel were completely shut down for roughly three hours during the investigation. Traffic was diverted off the interstate at CR11A in DeKalb County, and also at Union Chapel Road in Allen County.
Troopers from the ISP Fort Wayne Post were assisted at the scene by the ISP Crash Reconstruction Team, ISP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, Auburn Police Department, Allen County Police Department, Parkview EMS, Auburn Fire Department, the DeKalb County Coroner, INDOT workers, and Parker’s Wrecker Service.
This remains an active investigation. There are no further details to release.
*At this time, investigators are unsure whether this crash was merely an incident of driver inattention, or if there were other contributing factors at play, such as driver impairment or distracted driving behavior. Regardless, the Indiana State Police must remind all motorists to use extreme caution when entering and negotiating through all roadway construction zones. Please pay close attention to posted signage warning of the “work zone ahead”, reduce vehicle speeds, and always expect the unexpected.
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