A roadworker was
killed early this morning after being struck by a semi-tractor trailer on
I-94 in Porter.
The Porter County
Coroner’s Office has identified the victim as Ryan Greer, 38, of Knox. He
was pronounced dead at the scene,
Porter Fire Chief
Jay Craig gave this account of the accident. At approximately 1:58 a.m.
Greer was standing outside his work vehicle in the eastbound lanes of I-94
when the semi either struck him directly or struck the work vehicle, which
then hit him in turn. Greer was thrown some 100 feet by the impact, Craig
said.
The semi then
crashed into the median wall and burst into flames. The semi’s operator
escaped injury but a second roadworker, still inside the work vehicle, was
transported to hospital.
The PFD--assisted
at the scene by the Burns Harbor and Chesterton FDs--used around 4,000
gallons to extinguish the blaze. The Washington Township Volunteer Fire
Department was also dispatched, to prepare a landing zone for a medivac
helicopter, but was subsequently disregarded, Craig said.
The PFD remained at
the scene until 8 a.m., assisting the Coroner’s Office as well as standing
by for a hazmat contractor to deal with a diesel spill.
Porter Police
officers, meanwhile, were kept busy manning a detour, which directed
motorists eastbound on I-94 to U.S. Highway 20 and then to Ind. 49.