STEUBEN COUNTY, Ind. (WOWO) – Two semi-tractor-trailers crashed Friday evening causing I-69 and part of the I-80/90 Toll road to close.
Emergency responders from the Indiana State Police Fort Wayne Post, Toll Road Post, and Steuben County rushed to the fiery crash on I-69 at approximately 5:30 pm Friday. The collision occurred under the overpass bridge for the eastbound lanes, leading to the I-80/90 Toll Plaza.
Upon arrival, troopers discovered two semi-tractor-trailers in the northbound lanes, one fully engulfed in flames and the other with severe damage to the tractor cab, trapping the injured driver inside. Fire crews from the Fremont Fire Department faced the challenging task of extinguishing the trailer fire while simultaneously extracting the trapped driver from the second semi.
Preliminary investigations indicate that 37-year-old Bakhodir Tursunov, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, experienced a medical emergency while driving a 2022 Freightliner semi-tractor-trailer northbound on I-69. Tursunov pulled over to the right shoulder under the I-80/90 Toll Road overpass. 44-year-old Jovan Brookshire, of Fort Wayne, was driving a semi-tractor-trailer and failed to move over for Tursunov’s disabled vehicle, colliding with the rear of the trailer and igniting a fire.
Firefighters eventually extracted Brookshire from the wreckage, finding him with serious but non-life-threatening injuries to his face and legs. He was transported to a Fort Wayne hospital for further medical attention.
The flames spread to the overpass structure, leading to a temporary shutdown of all eastbound traffic on the Toll Road entrance ramp. Despite heavy smoke damage, an inspection by INDOT engineering staff confirmed the structure of the overpass was safe for vehicular travel.
Northbound I-69 lanes remained closed for approximately six hours during the investigation and cleanup. Brookshire received citations for following too closely and failing to move over for a disabled vehicle displaying flashing hazard/warning lights.
Both drivers, as mandated by Indiana state law, cooperated with the investigation and underwent chemical testing. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.