Terre Haute man injured in accident on slick I-70 Tuesday

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

CLOVERDALE -- While little more than a trace of snow fell Tuesday, it apparently made Interstate 70 slick enough to cause a serious accident injuring a Vigo County man.

Tuesday morning around 9:33, Indiana State Police Master Trooper Jason Schoffstall was patrolling I-70 in Putnam County when he came upon a two-vehicle crash near the 41-mile marker at U.S. 231.

Rescue personnel work to extricate Scott A. Dixon, 55, Terre Haute, from the van he was driving Tuesday morning following an accident on Interstate 70 near the U.S. 231 interchange at Cloverdale.

Schoffstall radioed for medical and fire/rescue assistance and began administering first aid.

Preliminary investigation revealed a 2007 Chevrolet commercial van driven by Scott A. Dixon, 55, Terre Haute, was eastbound on I-70, crossing a small bridge when he lost control of his vehicle, apparently from ice on the bridge.

The van traveled through the median and struck the trailer of a westbound tractor-trailer driven by Darrell E. Smith, 65, of Salem, Ill. The tractor was a 1989 International pulling an empty box trailer, while the tractor-trailer was owned by Foster Salvage of Salem, Ill.

Dixon, who suffered head, chest, internal and upper extremity injuries, was extricated from the vehicle by members of the Cloverdale Fire Department and transported to Terre Haute Regional Hospital by Putnam County Operation Life ambulance.

Dixon's injuries are reportedly serious and he was expected to be transferred by air to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Assisting Trooper Schoffstall at the scene were ISP Senior Trooper Chris Harcourt and Putnam County Sheriff's Department deputies, along with Putnam County Operation Life, Cloverdale Police Department and Cloverdale Fire Department personnel.

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