Swerving semi injures 2 in NW Indiana

A semi-truck that swerved to avoid an object Thursday afternoon crashed into multiple vehicles on I-80/94 and sent two people to hospitals in northwest Indiana.

The crash happened in the eastbound lanes about 2:15 p.m. near Indianapolis Boulevard when a 60-year-old truck driver from Ontario, Canada veered from her right lane to avoid an unknown object, according to a statement from Indiana State Police.

The truck driver crossed two lanes of traffic with a 40,000 pound load of frozen food, police said, and smacked into two vehicles: a Chevy Malibu and Ford Escape. The semi then collided with the concrete median barrier and knocked down two mile marker signs — one of which hit an SUV on the other side of the expressway.

The 27-year-old driver of the Malibu was taken to Munster Community Hospital, and the 70-year-old driver of the Escape was taken to Northlake Methodist Hospital in Gary, police said. Neither of their injuries were considered life-threatening.

All eastbound lanes of the expressway were closed for about two hours for investigation and cleanup, police said.