A 30-year-old LaPorte man is dead after his pickup truck inexplicably crossed the center line and plowed into a guardrail and signpost on East Michigan Boulevard, scattering cargo from a trailer he was towing across the roadway and shutting down the thoroughfare for hours. Matthew Borders was pronounced dead at the scene following the crash in the 4400 block of East Michigan Boulevard, and investigators still have no explanation for why his truck veered off course.
According to a Michigan City Police Department press release reported by WIMS Radio, Borders was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup towing a two-axle enclosed trailer when the impact scattered cargo from inside the trailer across the street. Police told WSBT 22 that officers were called to the scene just before 8 a.m. on Sunday, where they found Borders heading east before his truck crossed the center line and both westbound lanes, striking the guardrail and signpost on the north side of the road.
Seven Agencies Responded to the Scene
The scale of the response reflected the severity of the wreck. Seven emergency response agencies assisted at the crash scene, including the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office, Trail Creek Police Department, Long Beach Police Department, LaPorte County EMS, Michigan City Fire Department, and the LaPorte County Coroner's Office. Investigators processed the scene, collected evidence, and cleared the roadway, and East Michigan Boulevard remained closed for several hours.
Toxicology results remain pending, and the cause of the crash is still unknown, per WSBT 22's reporting. Indiana law requires an officer to offer a portable breath test or chemical test in qualifying fatal or serious-injury crashes, but it does not require a chemical test in every case, according to Indiana Code § 9-30-7-3. A separate statute, Indiana Code § 9-30-7-5, makes refusing that test a Class C infraction carrying an automatic one-year license suspension.
Investigator Appeals for Witnesses and Video
With the cause of the crash still a mystery, police are leaning on the public for help. The same police press release reported by WIMS Radio states that lead investigator Officer Thomas Dolph is appealing to the public for eyewitnesses or cell phone video of the incident, asking tipsters to call (219) 874-3221.
A Corridor With a History of Serious Crashes
East Michigan Boulevard has seen serious crashes before. ABC57 reported that a 46-year-old woman was seriously injured in a hit-and-run near East Michigan Boulevard and Warnke Road after being struck by an eastbound vehicle while walking.
The crash also lands within a broader pattern of roadway danger across the county. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data analysis reported by The Times of Northwest Indiana found LaPorte County recorded 84 fatal traffic crashes resulting in 95 deaths over a five-year study period.
The investigation into what caused Borders' truck to leave its lane remains open. Anyone with information or video of the crash is urged to contact Michigan City police.
