Indiana Fire Truck Crash Kills Citizen

Oct. 9, 2008
A Gary fire engine responding to a fire call slammed into a vehicle, killing a female driver.

Indiana State Police released further details early Thursday morning regarding the Wednesday evening firetruck crash that killed a Gary woman.

State police said preliminary investigations indicate the woman killed in the crash failed to yield to the firetruck, causing the accident.

According to state police, Trooper Ricky Rayner responded to a call for help at 5:39 p.m. from the Gary Police Department regarding a fatal, multi-vehicle accident involving a Gary firetruck.

The firetruck was traveling south on Jefferson Street with its emergency lights and siren on as a 2000 Ford Taurus was traveling east on 35th Avenue. Both vehicles entered the intersection at the same time, state police said.

The firetruck pushed the Taurus into a 1999 Mercury Mountaineer and a 2007 Toyota Avalon, both of which were traveling north on Jefferson Street.

The driver of the Taurus -- Lakecia T. Rozier, 24, of Gary -- was killed at the scene. State police said Rozier was wearing her seat belt at the time of the accident and died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head.

Rozier's passenger, one-month-old Deon Woods of Gary, was in a car seat and was not injured in the accident.

The driver of the firetruck, Anthony Hall, 33, of Merrillville, was not injured in the accident.

Sandra L. Clark, 42, of Gary, was the driver of the 1999 Mercury Mountaineer and was taken to Methodist Northlake Hospital in Gary complaining of wrist pain. Teresa Britton, 40, of Merrillville was driving the 2007 Toyota Avalon and was also transported to Methodist with neck pain.

The intersection where the accident occurred was closed until 10:30 p.m. Wednesday for clean up of the road, removal of the vehicles and the accident investigation.

State police stressed the accident remains under investigation.

Republished with permission of The Times.

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