Driver killed after his semi-truck flips in northwest Indiana: police

A driver was killed Thursday night when his semi-truck crashed and flipped into a ditch in northwest Indiana, according to police.

Thomas Shanahan, 38, of southwest suburban Crest Hill, was driving the semi shortly before 9:30 p.m. on southbound I-65, just south of US-30, when he crashed into the rear of a semi-truck that had slowed down in front of him, Indiana State Police said.

Shanahan swerved off the road into a ditch, according to police. Shanahan’s trailer stayed upright, but his tractor overturned and trapped him in it.

Fire crews from Merrillville pulled him from the tractor and took him to South Lake Methodist Hospital, where he died from his injuries, police said.

The semi that Shanahan crashed into then bumped into two other cars in front of it that had slowed down in traffic, police said. Its trailer burst into flames and was later put out.

One of the drivers hit in the rear by the second semi was taken to Saint Anthony’s Hospital in Crown Point with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to police.

The Lake County Coroner hasn’t released details about Shanahan’s death.