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Fiery crash on icy Interstate 70 claims life
TERRE HAUTE - Troopers from the Indiana State Police Putnamville Post are investigating a crash between a semi tractor-trailer and a Ford transit van that claimed a life on Interstate 70 in Vigo County.
Preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Ted Robertson of the Putnamville Post indicates that at approximately 6:41 a.m., Ramaz Chokheli, 51, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was operating a 2019 Volvo semi tractor-trailer eastbound on Interstate 70 near the three-mile marker. Chokheli was stopped due to the clean-up of multiple motor vehicle accidents that had occurred earlier in the morning.
Meanwhile, the driver of a 2020 Ford Transit van failed to observe that traffic was slowed or stopped in the area, running into the rear of Chokheli’s semi tractor-trailer. The force of the collision caused the van to erupt in flames.
A trooper near the accident scene attempted to extricate the driver from the transit van, but was unable to do so because of the damage from the collision and the intense heat from the fire.
Sugar Creek Volunteer Fire Department arrived shortly after and worked to extinguish the fire.
ISP has confirmed that the driver of the transit van is deceased, however positive identification of the driver is not yet available. Once positive identification has been made and family members are notified, the driver's name will be released.
Trooper Robertson was assisted at the scene by several troopers of the Putnamville Post, Sugar Creek Fire Department, Honey Creek Fire Department, Trans Care, Lambert’s Wrecker Service and the Vigo County Coroner's Office.