Semi rearends pickup stopped in traffic, creates chain-reaction crash on US 20

LAGRANGE COUNTY, Ind. -- An official crash report has been released for Thursday afternoon's crash that shut down both directions of traffic on U.S. 20 for hours, and it appears the cause was a traffic back up and a driver not being able to stop in time.

According to the LaGrange County Sheriff's Department, a 2013 Freightliner Semitruck was being driven east by 65-year-old Michael David Nichols, of Montpelier, Ohio.

Up ahead, a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, being driven by a 40-year-old Topeka, Ind. man, was stopped in the road due to traffic.

Nichols did not see the stopped pickup truck in time and was unable to avoid rear-ending the Chevy.

"The force of the collision caused the pickup to strike a Ford Mustang that was parked in front of him. The Ford Mustang then was pushed underneath a box truck," the LCSD said.

"The force of the collision then pushed the box truck into the rear of another Semi and trailer. The driver of the Ford Mustang was trapped inside the car and had to be extricated by the fire department and was airlifted to Parkview Regional Hospital. The front seat passenger of the pickup truck was transported by ambulance to Parkview LaGrange Hospital."