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Two truckers hurt in multiple truck crash in construction zone on Indiana Toll Road

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Indiana State Police (ISP) released more information about a semi truck pileup that occurred in a construction zone on the Indiana Toll Road on Tuesday evening.

The crash occurred around 5:30 p.m. on June 22 on the I-80/90 Toll Road at the 120 mile marker, northwest of Howe, Indiana.

When troopers arrived on the scene, they found three trucks piled up in the westbound lanes.

Following an investigation, troopers determined that the crash occurred as traffic was already backed up for construction taking place at mile marker 118.

ISP says that “for unknown reasons,” 69 year old truck driver Robert Klimek, who was operating a truck pulling a loaded car hauler, failed to slow for the stopped traffic and rear-ended a semi truck driven by Mohammad Rahim Azami.

This caused Azami’s truck to collide with a dump truck driven by Jason Nine.

Klimek was entrapped in the wreckage for an extended period of time before crews with the Howe & Shipshewana Fire Departments and Grates wrecker service were able to extricate him. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital.

Azami suffered minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Nine wasn’t hurt.

 Westbound I-80/90 was shut down for more than four hours due to the crash.

“Although the exact reason for this particular “construction zone” collision has not yet been clearly identified, the Indiana State Police are clearly finding it way too common for motorists to be traveling at high rates speeds and not paying attention within our Hoosier construction zones. Traffic flow through a construction zone is ever changing and often sudden and unexpected, making excessive speed and distracted driving a recipe for disaster!  The Indiana State Police reminds all motorists to slow down and pay attention- especially while navigating through our interstate construction zones,” ISP said in a news release.

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