A 16-year-old girl was airlifted on Tuesday from a two vehicle accident on the Indiana Toll Road in Porter County, the Indiana State Police said.

Police did not identify the girl but said that she sustained internal injuries and was airlifted to Advocate Christ Hospital in Illinois.

According to police, at 8:58 a.m. Jason Tripodi, 23, of West Jordan, Utah, was eastbound in the left lane of the Toll Road when, at the 32 mile marker one mile east of the Chesterton exit, he lost control of his 2009 Toyota SUV, went into the median and struck an impact barrel, then continued through the median into the westbound lanes.

Aida Vasquez, 53, of Chicago, was westbound on the Toll Road, saw Tripodi’s oncoming vehicle, and tried unsuccessfully to brake and veer. She struck Tripodi’s passenger side anyway, police said, then hit a guard rail.

The 16-year-old girl was a backseat passenger in Vasquez’s 1994 Toyota. Her other three passengers, all Chicago residents, were also injured and transported to Porter hospital, police said: front-seat passenger Carlos Garcia, 37, with a complaint of pain; Marisol Barroi, 45, with back and knee pain; and Daniela Zapata, 20, with a possible fractured leg. Vasquez herself was transported with a wrist fracture.

Tripoli was transported with lacerations, police said.

Westbound lanes were closed for about an hour; eastbound lanes for 20 minutes.

The Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene, as did the Chesterton Fire Department. Capt. Jamie Hicks of the CFD told the Chesterton Tribune today that the CFD was tasked to establish a safe landing zone for the medivac helicopter.

Posted 6/8/2011