A 27-year-old man was found trapped in his vehicle after a crash with severe injuries after six days by two fishermen near Portage.
On Dec. 26, just before 4 p.m., two fisherman reported a scene of a crash to the Porter County Dispatch Center on Interstate 94 on the Salt Creek overpass around one mile east of the Portage exit. According to authorities, two local fishermen were walking along Salt Creek attempting to find fishing holes before they spotted a crashed vehicle and its occupant, who was later identified as Matthew Reum, 27, of Mishawaka.
Police say that the fishermen explored the wreckage and discovered Reum trapped, believing him to be deceased. However, one of the fishermen reportedly touched Reum to check whether he was conscious, to which Reum began to speak with the fishermen. According to authorities, the fishermen immediately contacted 911 and requested aid for the man, and the Portage Fire Department and Burns Harbor Fire Department responded to the scene. Following a lengthy extrication process to remove Reum from the vehicle, the fire departments were reportedly successful. Investigators on the scene reported that the crash likely occurred around Dec. 20, and Reum was projected to have been trapped within the vehicle for around six days before the fishermen discovered the scene. Reum was flown by Lutheran Air to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for treatment of his severe and life-threatening injuries.
According to authorities, a preliminary investigation uncovered that Reum was operating a 2016 Dodge Ram truck and was traveling westbound on Interstate 94 before the vehicle left the roadway for currently unknown reasons, driving north into a ditch, narrowly missing a protective guardrail. Police report that that the truck was overturned in the creek and came to a rest under the Interstate 94 bridge, trapping Reum inside where he was unable to call for help. According to the Indiana State Police, local authorities had not received reports of a crash in the area prior to the report by the fishermen.
“Had it not been for the two individuals that were walking the creek this afternoon, this incident more
than likely would have had a different outcome,” Indiana State Police report. “There had not been any prior reports of a crash in this area prior to the fishermen finding the vehicle.”
A family member of Reum was notified of the incident, and the Indiana State Police released a reminder for all drivers in Indiana to take precautions before operating vehicles to ensure their safety. The Indiana State Police commented that the case was an astonishing series of events that led to the eventual discovery and aid that Reum received.
“This crash is a reminder of the importance of always letting someone know if you are traveling, the route you are taking and the need to always have emergency items in your vehicle,” Indiana State Police report. “The will to survive this crash was nothing short of extraordinary as it was also determined that Mr. Reum was able to drink rain water for hydration in order to survive for such a long period of time while being exposed to the elements.”
Reum was reported to still be undergoing treatment for his injuries as of Wednesday, Dec. 27 at 8 a.m.
