Two separate semi crashes gridlock traffic on I-80/94 for several hours
LAKE COUNTY, Ind. -- Two separate semi crashes caused traffic delays in the eastbound lanes of I-80/94 Monday evening into Tuesday morning, according to Indiana State Police.
The first crash happened at 9:30 p.m. Monday near the 12 mile marker when a 2022 Freightliner rear ended a 2003 Freightliner and trailer that was being towed, police said.
The crash spread debris, vehicle parts as well as oil and diesel fuel across all of the eastbound lanes. The eastbound lanes reopened around 5 a.m. when the crash cleanup was complete.
The driver of the 2022 Freightliner suffered minor injuries.
The second crash happened around 3:15 a.m. at the 8.8 mile marker where a 2016 Freightliner was stopped in one of the eastbound lanes.
As a trooper responded to investigate the stopped semi, they witnessed another semi, a 2020 Volvo, rear-end the trailer of the stopped semi, police said.
The driver of the Volvo was trapped in the cab.
While first responders assisted the Volvo's driver, the trooper spoke with the driver of the stopped semi. The trooper noted signs of impairment in the driver of the 2016 Freightliner, police said.
While attempting to conduct an OWI investigation, the driver, Kennieth O'Conner Jr, hit the trooper in the head with his arm, police said.
After giving multiple requests to stop resisting, the trooper deployed a taser and O'Conner was taken into custody, police said.
O'Conner was taken to the hospital for a blood draw, then, once medically cleared, was transported to the jail.
O’Conner was preliminarily charged with operating while intoxicated causing catastrophic injuries, battery on law enforcement and resisting arrest.
The driver of the Volvo was taken to an area hospital then flown to a hospital in Chicago for treatment.
The road was closed until the scene was cleaned up and the investigation was complete.
Also assisting at the scene was the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Gary Fire and Police Departments, and INDOT.