STEUBEN CO., Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana State Police say that a pedestrian was killed Friday night when they were hit by a semi on the Indiana Toll Road in Steuben County. ISP said he had a flat tire and while changing it his dog got out. When the man, identified as 22-year-old Jack Holdren of Virginia, chased after his dog and was struck by a semi driven by 64-year-old Leonard Murphy of Polk, Ohio close to the 147-mile marker.
Murphy was not hurt. He did, as required, undergo a chemical test following the crash. The dog was not hurt and is now in the custody of the Community Humane Shelter in Steuben County
ISP released the following:
The Indiana State Police Toll Road Post is investigating a crash that occurred last night on the Indiana Toll Road involving a pedestrian struck and seriously injured by a semi-tanker.
At approximately 6:30pm Friday night troopers were dispatched to the eastbound I-80/90 147.8 mile marker on a call of a pedestrian struck by a semi-tanker. Arriving on scene troopers found a seriously injured adult male laying in grass median, a semi-tanker, and a disabled passenger car (flat tire) along the the shoulder.
Troopers identified the pedestrian as Jack Holdren, 22, of Williamsburg, Virginia. Although suffering from multiple serious injuries, Steuben County EMS personnel reported Holdren to be “alert and conscious” after loading him into the ambulance and stabilizing him for transport to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.
The involved semi driver was identified as, Leonard Murphy, 64, of Polk, Ohio. Murphy was operating a 2018 Freightliner semi-tractor. Murphy was not injured. He was, however, transported to the hospital in Angola for a chemical test as a requirement of the investigation for drivers involved in crash involving serious bodily injury.
Trooper Sam Sharp’s preliminary investigation revealed that prior to the crash, Holdren had been traveling eastbound on the Toll Road when he experienced a flat tire on his passenger car. While changing the flat tire, Holdren’s dog managed to get out of the car and walked out into the roadway. Holdren then ran out into the traveled portion of the roadway to grab his dog and was struck by Murphy’s semi-tractor.
The dog was not injured. When troopers arrived they found the dog back inside the car. Bill’s Professional Towing was responsible for towing Holdren’s car from scene, and was kind enough to transport the dog to the Community Humane Shelter of Steuben County.
This remains an ongoing investigation. There is nothing further to release at this time.
Trooper Sharp was assisted at the scene by troopers from the Fort Wayne Post, Steuben County Fire & EMS personnel, and Bill’s Professional Towing Service.
As a general “best practice” talking point, the Indiana State Police always recommend that when experiencing a vehicle breakdown along a busy roadway (especially on our interstate roadways), drivers and their passengers should to stay in their vehicle, seat belted, hazard lights turned on, and then call 911 for assistance. Getting a trooper on scene of your breakdown may not be a full proof answer to keeping you safe while changing that tire, but having that emergency lighting to warn oncoming traffic of the roadside hazard is definitely the preferred option.
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