A three vehicle accident sent four people to the hospital this afternoon – two by helicopter ambulance to Louisville.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police, the wreck happened around 5:00p.m. Monday on Highway 56 at West Washington School Road, located just outside of Salem, Indiana.
According to Washington County Sheriff Claude Combs, a yellow car driven by a West Washington High School student failed to stop at the intersection of State Road 56 and West Washington School Road.
The car struck a semi tractor trailer travelling east bound on SR 56. The car hit the semi in the fuel tank area, causing a rupture and an explosion.
The semi tractor crossed the center line and then struck a Chevy truck, going west bound.
The impact drove the two vehicles off State Road 56 into a field to the north side of the highway, clipping an electric utility pole and causing a power outage in the area.
The semi tractor cab came to rest on top of the truck and caught on fire.
The impact threw the female passenger of the truck out into the field. She was taken by helicopter ambulance to Louisville.
The male driver of the yellow car was able to walk away from the wreckage, but was taken, to St. Vincent Hospital where he was treated released.
Members of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, First Responders, Salem Fire Department, volunteers, Livonia Fire and Rescue and EMTs from Washington County Ambulance Service were all on the scene, as well as Indiana State Troopers.
Once the fire of the semi tractor was extinguished, workers spent about 45 minutes removing the male driver of the Chevy truck.
Moaning and wrapped in bandages and splints, the driver was removed to a stretcher and taken across the field to the helicopter ambulance.
Jackson County REMC workers were on the scene late in the afternoon repairing the damaged utility lines.
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