A motorcyclist died early Thursday morning after a stolen Harley-Davidson crossed the center line on U.S. 20 and slammed head-on into a semi-truck in Kankakee Township, according to the La Porte County Sheriff's Office. The crash happened around 6:45 a.m. in the 2300 East block of the highway, shutting it down as investigators worked the scene.
Deputies responding to the two-vehicle fatality crash found a 2003 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a 2026 Freightliner semi tractor that had collided head-on, according to La Porte County Sheriff's Office. Investigators said their initial review of the crash showed the motorcycle was traveling eastbound on US 20 and being driven erratically before it crossed into the westbound lane and struck the truck, according to WKVI. The Freightliner was being driven westbound by 41-year-old Joseph Muller of Goshen, Indiana, the station reports.
The motorcycle's operator was pronounced dead at the scene. As of Thursday, WKVI's report noted the rider had yet to be identified, and WNDU likewise reported that the operator had not yet been identified at the time of publication. Later Thursday, the sheriff's office posted an update saying the male involved had been identified, though it said further information would be released at a later time.
A Motorcycle Stolen Just a Day Before the Crash
Investigators determined the Harley-Davidson had been reported stolen through the Coloma, Michigan, Police Department on October 21, the day before the fatal crash, per the same WKVI report. Toxicology test results remain pending, and the sheriff's office has not released additional findings on what led up to the collision. The vehicles involved were identified as a 2026 Freightliner semi tractor and the 2003 Harley-Davidson, the station notes.
Chief of Detectives Capt. Andy Hynek is leading the investigation, and the sheriff's office is asking anyone with information about the crash or the motorcycle's operator to contact him at 219-326-7700 Ext. 2401. All lanes of US 20 had reopened following the crash, according to ABC57.
Multiple Agencies Responded to the Scene
The crash investigation drew assistance from a wide roster of responders, including the Indiana State Police Motor Carrier Division, La Porte County EMS, the Kankakee Township Volunteer Fire Department, the La Porte County Coroner's Office and INDOT, per the sheriff's office's account relayed by WKVI. As reported by Country Herald, the collision involved the two vehicles head-on, underscoring the severity of the impact that investigators are still piecing together.
The sheriff's office has not said when it expects to release the identified rider's name or additional details about what happened before the crash. For now, the investigation remains open as deputies await toxicology results and continue working to confirm the full account of the ride that ended on US 20, as WSBT first reported on the fatal collision.
