At approximately 3:20 p.m. Tuesday on I-65 southbound in the left lane of the split traffic pattern near the 172 MM (that is near the SR 26/172 exit) in Tippecanoe County, a five vehicle crash claims two lives and injured two others.
On Wednesday morning, Indiana State Police said the victims were identified as 49-year-old Marvin L. Rea, 49, of Gary, who was the driver, and 34-year-old Kelli Nicole Bradley, also of Gary. They were killed in a 2006 red Cadillac CTS that was crushed between a semi and a box truck.
Preliminary investigation by Troopers Stephen Grayson and Probationary Trooper Corey Brown has revealed that a white 2007 Freightliner pulling an intermodal container and driven by Ashraf M. Al-Rabba, 36 of MI was stopped for a crash south of his location. A red 1998 International pulling a flatbed and driven by Karl E. Klinge, 54 of Sherman, IL was stopped behind the Freightliner. A red passenger car was behind the Freightliner stopped. A white 2017 Chevrolet box truck driven by Joseph Gais, 62 Florissant, MO was coming up on the stopped vehicles and was slowing down. A white 2017 Freightliner pulling a car hauler and driven by Anthony J. Dick, 31 of Plainfield, IN apparently was distracted and did not see the traffic had come to a stop.
It is unknown at this time if the white box truck hit the red car first or if the 2017 Freightliner ran into the back of the box truck and then pushed it into the red car. That impact pushed the red car underneath the flatbed killing both occupants of the red car. The white box truck was spun around and was pinned between the flatbed trailer and the 2017 Freightliner who came to rest partially through the guardrail. The impact pushed the Red International into the intermodal trailer.
Gais was transported to IU Arnett Hospital with a complaint of pain. Dick was also transported to the hospital reference complaint of pain. Neither Al-Rabba nor Klinge were injured. A blood test on all drivers was administered reference state law. The investigation is continuing.