SHELBY COUNTY — An Indiana State Police trooper was seriously injured Friday morning when his vehicle was struck from behind by a motorist in a construction zone on Interstate 74.
The crash occurred at 2:48 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-74 near State Road 9 in Shelby County, according to a news release from ISP Sgt. John Perrine.
Master Trooper Jeremy Basso was assisting a construction crew when a motorist driving an SUV struck the back of his vehicle, Perrine said. Basso was able to get out of his vehicle and call for assistance.
Medics from Shelbyville transported Basso to a local hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the SUV was also hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
"Preliminary investigation by Indiana State Police Crash Reconstructionists determined Basso's police car was parked in a closed lane behind a crew of construction workers with his emergency lights activated," Perrine said.
"The lane was closed approximately a half mile prior to the crash due to construction and was marked by several signs and orange construction barrels. A 2015 Ford Explorer struck several barrels and continued driving in the closed lane until crashing into the back of Trooper Basso's car."
A 21-year-old Indianapolis man was suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol and was arrested at the hospital on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.
The Shelby County Prosecutor's Office will determine formal charges. WRTV does not identify suspects who have not been formally charged.
Indiana State Police was assisted by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, Shelbyville Police Department, Shelbyville Fire Department and the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Since 2018, 14 people have been killed and 650 others have been injured in work zone crashes in Indiana.
WRTV reporters Megan Shinn and Rafael Sanchez, and photographer Jonathon Christians contributed to this report.
At 2:48 am an @IndStatePolice Trooper’s vehicle was struck while assisting a construction crew on I-74 in Shelby County. The Trooper is alert and conscious, transported to the hospital with serious injuries
— Sgt. John Perrine (@ISPIndianapolis) June 18, 2021
Other driver is suspected of OWI, investigation is ongoing pic.twitter.com/nkFHpcF6Tp
