STEUBEN COUNTY, Ind. — An Oregon man is dead after Indiana State Police (ISP) said he was struck by an 18-wheeler after his pickup truck broke down on July 9 along the Indiana Toll Road in Steuben County.
According to an ISP report, which stated that the accident happened at approximately 1:15 p.m., 45-year-old Michael Shaw of Portland, Oregon, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The ISP report noted that Shaw’s 2005 yellow Chevrolet pickup truck broke down, and he pulled over to the shoulder to try and fix it. Family members traveling in another car also stopped, police said.
“For an unknown reason, Shaw walked out from in front of his truck and was standing in the right lane of travel, apparently not noticing an oncoming semi-tractor/trailer. Shaw was then struck in the roadway by that semi-tractor,” the ISP report stated.
The driver of the 2020 Freightliner, Princ Blakaj, 30, of Bronx, New York, immediately pulled over after striking Shaw, according to the ISP.
He remained at the scene and fully cooperated with troopers during the investigation.
As a result of the crash, Blakaj was not injured, but was transported to a local area hospital for a chemical test blood draw as required by Indiana law. Those test results are pending.
The investigation is ongoing.
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My condolences to the diseased family, it’s so sad this happened.