LAKE COUNTY, Ind. — The Indiana State Police are investigating after a deadly crash on I-65 southbound in Lake County claimed the life of a Wheatfield woman.
ISP said troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on I-65 on Sunday just after 10 a.m. This was on the southbound exit ramp to 61st Avenue.
Preliminary information from the investigation shows that a Honda was traveling south at a high rate of speed in the far-left lane. The driver made a “sudden’ change to exit the interstate onto 61st Avenue. That’s when the car hit the back of a semi that was stopped in the “gore area” or the paved portion of the shoulder between the ramp and interstate.
The impact caused major damage to the driver’s side of the Honda. The woman driving was pronounced dead on scene by the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
A passenger was able to exit the car and was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The semi-driver pulled over to secure a portion of his load that came loose. He was not injured in the crash.
A level 2 inspection was completed on the truck by the ISP Commercial Motor Vehicle Division. This is common in deadly crashes.
The victim was identified as 37-year-old Jennifer R. Benton. Toxicology results are pending an autopsy by the coroner.