Lake County-Yesterday afternoon, Indiana State Police Senior Trooper Brian McCall and Trooper Eric Rot responded to a two vehicle crash on I-80 westbound at the 11.1 mile marker (this is approximately one mile east of Broadway exit) where a driver was later air-lifted for his injuries.

Preliminary investigation revealed that at approximately 4:10 p.m., yesterday, Monday, June 25th, a 2005 Ford pick-up, driven by Brian Reierson, 33 of Hometown, Illinois was in the right center lane behind a semi.  The semi, a 2000 Freightliner, driven by John English, 25 of Washington, Michigan was also in the right middle lane (there are four lanes of traffic) when it was hit in its rear box trailer by the pick-up.

The pick-up was traveling at a high rate of speed, in the well marked fifty-five mile per-hour posted speed zone, when it struck the trailer; it then swerved to the right striking the concrete barrier wall on the outer shoulder at a ninety degree angle.  Reierson was not wearing a seat belt but his airbag deployed.

Reierson was taken to NorthLake Methodist Hospital in Gary with serious internal injuries and critical injuries to his neck and head.  He was later air-lifted from Methodist to Loyola Medical Center in Illinois.

Alcohol WAS a factor in this crash.

Reierson was charged with: Operating While Intoxicated Endangerment, Operating While Intoxicated, Driving While Suspended, No Seat Belt and Following Too Closely.

The 2005 pick-up was totaled.  English was not injured and his trailer had approximately $2,000 in damage.

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.