SCOTT COUNTY, Ind. — Troopers and crash reconstruction investigators from the Indiana State Police (ISP) Sellersburg Post are investigating a three-vehicle crash that claimed the lives of two drivers on I-65 southbound just south of Austin.
Around 11:50 Monday night, police and emergency personnel responded to a reported crash and truck fire on I-65 southbound near the 33 mile marker, just south of the Austin exit. Responding officers found three semi-trucks blocking both lanes of traffic, with two of those semi-trucks on fire. First responders and firefighters from Jennings Township, Scottsburg City, Vienna Township, and other area departments responded to extinguish the fire.
The crash is still under investigation; however, based on their preliminary examination, ISP crash reconstruction investigators believe a white Volvo semi-truck in the driving lane stopped in traffic due to construction near the 31-mile marker. A short time later, a second southbound semi slowed to stop; however, a third southbound tractor-trailer failed to stop and collided with the second truck. That collision, in turn, pushed the second truck into the trailer of the first truck. Both the second and third trucks involved immediately caught fire after the crash. The drivers in both the second and third tractors died at the scene, and a driver in the sleeper of the third truck was flown to University Hospital in Louisville with severe burn injuries. Investigators have not released any names or identities at this time.
Following the crash, I-65 southbound traffic was diverted off the interstate at the Austin exit (Exit 34) and rerouted to US31 southbound during the investigation and clean-up. Both lanes remained closed until approximately 11 am, when workers opened the right lane, and the Indiana Department of Transportation continued repairs to road surface damage.
This crash will be updated as more information becomes available.
