BY CHARLEE BEASOR
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash at 8:16 a.m. Wednesday on the ramp from I-70 eastbound to I-465 northbound on the west side of Indianapolis. One driver was injured.
According to information provided by ISP, John P. Wright, 55, of Cochranton, Pa., was driving a red 2002 Freightliner eastbound on I-70 when he entered the ramp for northbound I-465.
“The ramp is a clover leaf-style ramp, and Mr. Wright entered at too high a rate of speed,” said Sgt. Anthony Emery, public information officer for the ISP. “He had four large rolls of coiled steel and he was going too fast for the load he was carrying and eventually rolled over on its side across all three lanes of I-465 North.”
One of the rolls of coiled steel — each of which weighed about 10,000 pounds — came loose from the trailer and struck the trailer of a blue 2001 International northbound semi-trailer, driven by Johnny Parrett, 39, of Laurel. He was not injured.
Wright was taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he was treated for minor injuries.
“His complaint was of pain, and he was pretty shook up,” Emery said. “There was also a dog in the cabin with him, but he was not injured. He was awful scared, but not injured.”
Emery said all three lanes of the interstate were shut down initially and one lane opened up at 9:30 a.m.
“I had a final notice sent out at 11 a.m. that all lanes were finally open,” he said. “We had a really large backup there. At 8:15 in the morning there are still quite a bit of morning commuters.”
Emery said Wright was ticketed for speeding.
The Indianapolis Fire Department and the Indiana Department of Transportation also responded to the scene.
charlee.beasor@flyergroup.com
