Snow keeps responders busy Thursday

Thursday, January 16, 2014
No injuries were reported when this tractor-trailer rolled near the 30-mile marker of Interstate 70 on Thursday. (Courtesy of Indiana State Police)

Light snowfall Thursday morning led to slick conditions throughout the Putnam County area, resulting in an eventful morning for local emergency responders.

Indiana State Police responded to a number of weather-related calls throughout the Putnamville district, including two major accidents on Interstate 70 in Putnam County.

At 8:50 a.m., troopers responded to the 49.5-mile marker of I-70 in eastern Putnam County for a vehicle rollover crash that ejected the driver.

Darrell Gullett, 49, of Greenwood, was traveling westbound and lost control on the slick roadway, ultimately rolling his 2001 Ford van. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected.

He was transported to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for back pain and internal injuries.

The driver of this Volkswagen Beetle was critically injured when the car was pinned against the guardrail by an 18-wheeler. The crash resulted in Interstate 70 westbound being closed for two hours and traffic diverted to U.S. 40. (Courtesy of Indiana State Police)

At 9:20 a.m., a six-vehicle crash in the westbound lanes of I-70 near the 30.5-mile marker in Putnam County resulted in possible critical injuries to one driver and probable serious injuries to another motorist who had exited his vehicle and was struck by a vehicle forced into him from the initial impact.

The crash involved three passenger cars, a large truck pulling a camper and two tractor-trailer units. All vehicles were stopped for another crash and slide-offs, except for one tractor-trailer unit that struck the other vehicles in the rear.

The names of the two injured were not available late Thursday afternoon.

Between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m., Putnamville trooper responded to 16 property damage crashes, six personal injury crashes, 10 slideoffs and two medical emergencies.

Interstate 70 was treacherous through most of the district, with incidents stretching from the 16-mile marker in Vigo County to the 35-mile marker in Putnam County.

Authorities from Putnam County Dispatch said the worst of Thursday's problems were on the interstate, as local calls were confined to simple slideoffs in about a half dozen trouble spots, including Plessinger's Hill and Chadd Valley.

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  • squished like a bug, no joke. I really hope the individual makes a full recovery

    -- Posted by wormy772 on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 9:35 PM
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