GRANT CO. – Wednesday at 1:44 p.m., the Grant County Central Dispatch Center began receiving multiple calls about a severe multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-69 near the 257-mile marker, approximately two miles north of the Fairmount exit.
When emergency responders arrived, they located several severely damaged vehicles, including two semi-tractor trailers, one Box Truck, and two passenger vehicles, one fully engulfed in flames.
Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire, locating an entrapped driver.
That driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no other injuries reported.
A preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Todd Trottier revealed traffic was backed up for an undetermined reason on I-69 near the 257-mile marker. As traffic backed up, the driver of a 2021 Freightliner, identified as 67-year-old Muthukumaru Selliah of Ontario, failed to stop with other traffic and rear-ended a Ford Pickup Truck. Three additional vehicles received heavy damage.
The driver of the Ford Pickup truck was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Grant County Coroner. Their name is being withheld until positive identification and notification has been made to the next of kin.
Indiana State Police Detectives, Indiana State Police Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement, and Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction Team members responded to assist with the investigation. At this time, neither the consumption of alcoholic beverages nor narcotics is suspected of contributing to this crash.
This information above is preliminary; the investigation is ongoing, and there is no further information to release at this time.
The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Fairmount Police Department, Grant County Coroner, Grant County EMS, Matthew’s Fire Department, Gas City Fire Department, Upland Fire Department, Marion Fire Department, Fairmount Fire Department, Grant County EMA, INDOT, and Losure’s Towing.
