Two motorists died on Wednesday in separate accidents in Liberty Township less than an hour apart, the Porter County Sheriff’s Police said.

Police identified the victim of the first crash as Joseph Cusson, 27, of Lake Station; the victim of the second, as George P. Richhart, 69, of Anderson. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

According to police, at 5:30 p.m. Cusson was eastbound on C.R. 900N, east of C.R. 200W, when he tried to pass a vehicle in front of him, crossed the center line, and collided with a westbound passenger car.

Police said that driver of the westbound passenger car, who was not identified, was transported to Porter hospital for treatment.

The investigation is continuing.

Chain Reaction Crash on Ind. 49

Then, only half an hour later, at 6 p.m. Richhart was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Ind. 49, in the area of C.R. 600N, when he collided with a semi-tractor trailer. A chain reaction ensued, police said, involving three additional passenger cars.

Police said that two drivers were transported to Porter hospital and a third was airlifted to a hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill. The driver of the semi was not injured. Police did not release the names of any of the other motorists.

Police said that northbound Ind. 49 was closed until approximately 9 p.m. and southbound until 11 p.m.

The investigation of this crash is also continuing.

 Posted 11/6/2008