Nine people were injured in a five-vehicle crash Monday night on a waterlogged portion of I-80/94 in northwest Indiana.
A 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe began to hydroplane at 11:37 p.m. in the left lane of eastbound I-80/94 about a mile east of the Chesterton, Indiana, exit, according to a statement from Indiana State Police. Heavy rain had caused the left shoulder, left lane and part of the center lane to be covered in water.
The Tahoe then crashed head-on into the concrete median wall and came to a rest facing north, state police said. A 2013 Chrysler 200 then sideswiped the Tahoe and was in turn rear-ended by a 2011 Honda Odyssey.
A 2013 Honda Pilot then hit the Odyssey and a 2003 Toyota in the far right lane “was sideswiped and ran off the road into a water filled ditch off the shoulder, where it became submerged,” state police said.
Four people from the Pilot and four others from the Chrysler were taken to Franciscan Health in Michigan City, Indiana, state police said. The front-seat passenger from the Chrysler was thrown from the car onto the outer shoulder.
The driver of the Odyssey had to be extricated by the Porter Fire Department and was also taken to the hospital, state police said. None of the injuries were thought to be life-threatening.
The expressway was closed for about two hours while crews worked to transport the injured people, remove the vehicles and clean up the roadway, state police said.
