An Indianapolis woman tragically lost her life in a collision on the I-69 highway near Fort Wayne in DeKalb County. The incident, which took place at approximately 2:15 p.m. yesterday, involved a 2008 Ford Edge abruptly swerving into a stationary semi truck within a construction zone, as per reports from WISH-TV. Indiana State Police identified the deceased as 22-year-old Mia Stevens of Indianapolis, who was driving northbound on I-69 at the time of the accident.
The collision occurred when Stevens allegedly failed to properly notice the halted traffic, which was a result of lane closures for bridge work at the County Road 11A interchange. She attempted to abruptly swerve from the passing lane, only to collide with the rear of a 2024 Volvo semi-tractor-trailer. According to the WTHR report, it is believed that Stevens was traveling at highway speeds at the moment of the crash.
Meghan Houston, also 22 and from Indianapolis, was a passenger in Stevens' vehicle and suffered critical injuries. She was promptly taken to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne for emergency treatment. The semi’s driver, identified as Ruslan Velhan, 44, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, was reported not to have sustained injuries in the incident, as indicated in the FOX59 coverage.
Following the collision, the northbound section of the I-69 was shut down for approximately three hours, causing significant traffic disruption. Indiana State Police have released a statement urging drivers to exercise extra caution when navigating through construction zones, to obey signage, and to reduce speed as necessary in order to prevent similar tragedies. The incident remains under active investigation, as stated by WTHR.
