LAGRANGE COUNTY – One of the victims in a multi-vehicle crash on the Indiana Toll Road in LaGrange County has died.
Just after 5 PM Friday, the Indiana State Police were called to the 118 mile marker just west of Howe. Troopers found three commercial vehicles with heavy damage and debris all across the westbound lanes, blocking traffic. Several people were injured, including 53 year old Michael Lohman of Glendale, Arizona who was driving a semi and had both legs severed and he had a severe head injury.
Medical personnel applied tourniquets to control the bleeding and Lohman was flown from the scene to a Fort Wayne hospital. He died Friday during surgery. Lohman's 12 year son was a passenger in the semi, and suffered minor injuries. He was taken by ambulance to Parkview LaGrange Hospital for medical evaluation. He was later released and taken to Fort Wayne where he was reunited with his mother.
A second driver, 37 year old Ben Tehrani of Brentwood, California, sustained a minor neck injury and was also taken to Parkview LaGrange for evaluation. The preliminary investigation determined that there was a traffic back up due to road construction in the westbound lanes. Lohman was driving a semi-tractor trailer and approaching the traffic, but failed to stop because he was using his cell phone.. He crashed into the rear of a truck driven by Tehrani. A third vehicle, a 2013 model semi-tractor trailer, was also struck. The driver of this vehicle, 36 year old Elvis Maksuti of Waukegan, Illinois, was not injured. There was damage to his trailer. Lohman was not wearing his seatbelt. His passenger and the other drivers were all properly restrained.
Assisting at the scene were the Howe Fire Department, Parkview EMS, Indiana Toll Road Maintenance personnel and several Good Samaritans. The crash remains under investigation. Once it's completed, the report will be turned over to the LaGrange County Prosecutor for review and determination if any charges will be filed.
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