Whiteout causes 27-vehicle pileup

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BY HEATHER AUGUSTYN
Times Correspondent | Thursday, February 21, 2008 | (7 comment(s))

MICHIGAN CITY | Syed Neqvi has driven a semi for 15 years without an accident or a traffic ticket, he said. (View additional photos of the pileup.)

But in Wednesday morning's snow, his was one of 27 vehicles involved in a pileup that plugged Interstate 94's westbound lanes near Michigan City for seven hours.

"This is not even my load. It's my co-worker's load, but he's a friend of mine and his son is sick," Neqvi said.

Twelve semitrailers and 15 cars piled up about 7:10 a.m. in the westbound lanes just east of U.S. 421, an Indiana State Police trooper said. Whiteout conditions from lake-effect snow caused the wreck, the trooper said. The accident blocked all westbound lanes from the Michigan state line to the accident at the Johnson Road overpass. Police and tow trucks finished cleaning up the wreck about 2 p.m.

Neqvi said the road was slippery.

"I was only going 45," said Neqvi, of Mississauga, Ontario.

"The road was slippery and there was no salt, nothing. The first car and a semi-truck crashed a little bit, but the truck just stopped right in the middle of the highway and there was no way to stop. I turned sideways and I had no chance."

His semitrailer slid sideways and hit the pile. Vehicles continued to slide into Neqvi's trailer and cab. The wreck hurt his ear and shoulder. Neqvi refused treatment at the scene.

Eight people were reported taken to St. Anthony Memorial Hospital in Michigan City. One person was admitted for a broken leg and facial cuts.

Neqvi's fuel tank leaked diesel fuel after the crash and crews pumped the fuel into barrels on the back of a pickup truck. Neqvi's trailer spilled its contents onto the road, as did other semitrailers. Crews with forklifts and small bulldozers removed the debris and restored traffic flow.

Traffic backed up after the crash, causing at least four more wrecks along I-94 east of the pileup.

Police rerouted traffic south on U.S. 35 and west on U.S. 20, which caused gridlock on roads in Michigan City and LaPorte.

Wednesday's accident on I-94 was one of many crashes caused by snow.

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Plowed wrote on Feb 21, 2008 11:56 AM:

" Did state of Indiana not plow or salt the roadways? Why is it there's always accidents and deadly ones in that stretch of the highway? They knew they were getting the ice and snow but they didn't do anything! "

Tony wrote on Feb 21, 2008 11:27 AM:

" This will probably be our last white out. Our Hammond government officials have threatened that if the property tax cap goes into place, they will have to cut all snow. What are we to do. "

Dick wrote on Feb 21, 2008 10:45 AM:

" Hey Bill:

Did you ever think that maybe the speed of the vehicles was greater than the conditions warrented??
I was driving east bound at the time of the accident, and I can tell you people were going way to fast for the conditions. "

gary wrote on Feb 21, 2008 10:02 AM:

" Oh please It was horrible yesterday morning. Why don't peiople either slow down or not drive. Can't blame the road crews because of mother nature. "

Bob Woodson wrote on Feb 21, 2008 9:41 AM:

" Does the Indiana Highway Department watch the weather channel? Every morning there seems to be an issue with falling snow, black ice, or slick spots on the highway's leading to and from Chicago. Maybe you folks ought to try salting the roads before the morning rushhour starts and not after we have trucks sideways in the ditch! Indiana roads are just pathetic. "

hey bill wrote on Feb 21, 2008 9:38 AM:

" this accident was caused due to a WHITE-OUT !!! Although the semi-driver says there was no salt, that is not what caused the accident. I was on the road at this time although it was not great, it was not the cause. The roads were passable it was the blowing and drifiting which the state cannot do anything about "

bill wrote on Feb 21, 2008 8:29 AM:

" Yesterday was a good example of Indiana Govt. not working. The state has a huge responsibilty to keep ahead of conditions and routine chores to insure public safety. Running out of salt or man hours to keep the roads safe is not an option. They should be held liable for poor performance. Somebody could have been killed there. Let the state spend the money that they collect from running around checking to see if everybody is wearing seatbelts so they can fine them if they are not "

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