Snowy conditions result in fatal accident on I-70 near Cloverdale

A Bedford woman died on Interstate 70 near the 40-mile marker Tuesday evening when her 2000 Pontiac was T-boned by semi tractor. Tiffany Ann Mikel, 36, lost control as she entered the westbound lanes from U.S. 231, spinning in front of the semi, which had too little time to stop on the slick road. (Courtesy of Indiana State Police)

CLOVERDALE -- Snowy and slick conditions appeared to be contributing factors to a fatal accident that claimed the life of a Lawrence County woman Tuesday evening along Interstate 70, just west of Cloverdale.

The accident, which resulted in the death of Tiffany Ann Mikel, 36, Bedford, occurred just before 5:30 p.m. and involved a passenger car and a semi tractor-trailer at the 40-mile marker, a mile west of U.S. 231.

The fatality shut down the westbound lanes of the interstate around 5:30 p.m., Indiana State Police officials reported, as the snowy weather made visibility difficult and driving treacherous.

The ISP investigation revealed that Mikel was attempting to merge into westbound traffic from the U.S. 231 on-ramp at exit 41. Trooper Jonathan Cumbie reported that Mikel's 2000 Pontiac was moving too fast for road conditions as it entered traffic.

The driver then lost control and spun in the roadway.

The semi, a 2012 International driven by Efren Barragan-Sanchez, 41, of Mexico, attempted to slow but did not have the space needed.

The semi hit the driver's side of Mikel's car in T-bone fashion, sending the car into the median.

The semi tractor lost control and crashed into a guardrail on the north side of the road. Barragan-Sanchez was not injured.

A 41-year-old man was uninjured after his semi T-boned a car and crashed into a guardrail near the 40-mile marker of Interstate 70 Tuesday evening. Efren Barragan-Sanchez, of Mexico, was westbound when Tiffany Mikel's car began to spin in front of him, leaving him no time to react. Mikel perished in the collision. (Courtesy of Indiana State Police)

Neither drugs nor alcohol were factors in the crash.

Eastbound lanes of the interstate remained open following the fatality, while one lane of westbound traffic was reported moving again by 8 p.m. as crews worked to upright the semi involved in the accident.

All lanes of traffic were reopen by 11 p.m.

The fatality was one of three accidents reported in the same stretch of the interstate near Cloverdale during Tuesday evening. All of the mishaps were considered weather-related.

State Police and INDOT officials were urging westbound drivers to avoid the problem area by exiting the interstate at State Road 39 or Little Point.

Assisting agencies included the Putnam County Sheriff's Department, the Cloverdale Police Department, Cloverdale Fire and Operation Life medics.

Two inches of snow with much blowing and drifting was reported in the Putnamville area by 7:30 p.m.

Putnam County, along with Hendricks, Montgomery and Morgan counties, continued under a Winter Weather Warning into the evening, while Clay, Owen and Parke counties were under Winter Weather Advisories.

A Bedford woman died on Interstate 70 near the 40-mile marker Tuesday evening when her 2000 Pontiac was T-boned by semi tractor. Tiffany Ann Mikel, 36, lost control as she entered the westbound lanes from U.S. 231, spinning in front of the semi, which had too little time to stop on the slick road. (Courtesy of Indiana State Police)