Wreck closes U.S. 231 most of afternoon

FINCASTLE -- A one-vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon closed U.S. 231 between U.S. 36 and State Road 236 when a semi left the roadway and bottomed out after returning to the pavement, effectively blocking the highway for at least three hours.

Truck driver Warren R. Eikelberg, no age available, Michigan City, was northbound on U.S. 231 in a semi-truck carrying a wide load when he ended up in a ditch just north of Fincastle.

Eikelberg told police his attention was diverted from the road, causing his rig to drift off to the right and into a ditch.

The truck continued along the ditch for about 100 yards before Eikelberg realized the situation. He then turned left out of the ditch with the truck ending up in a yard and the trailer blocking the entire road nearing the Mendenhall Construction office.

The truck did not overturn and did not flip the large front-end loader it was carrying onto the roadway.

No one was injured in the accident, but U.S. 231 was closed from shortly after 1 p.m. throughout most of the afternoon.

Traffic from both directions on U.S. 231 was directed to the east through Roachdale and Bainbridge.

A tow truck from Curtis Garage was called to the scene to help pull out the semi.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police, Indiana Department of Transportation, Roachdale Fire Department and Roachdale Police, responded to scene to investigate the mishap.