LAFAYETTE, IN — Mark Thompson of Ohio slowed or stopped his Audi on Interstate 65 about 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, because of a deer, Indiana State Police said Monday.
They did not say whether Thompson struck the deer or slowed and avoided it.
While slowed or stopped, a southbound semi slammed into the back of Thompson’s car, killing him and injuring his passenger, Samuel Casim from Toledo, Ohio, who was rushed to a Lafayette-area hospital.
Thompson, 34, died at the scene.
Preliminary results from Monday’s forensic autopsy indicated he died from blunt-force injuries, and his manner of death is preliminarily ruled as an accident, according to Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello.