COLUMBUS, Ind.–A difficult, construction-heavy route through south-central Indiana was rendered more frustrating Wednesday with two accidents within the same half-mile stretch in both directions of Interstate 65, near Columbus.
Just prior to 6 a.m., a semi-tractor trailer, driven by Scott Pearson, 65, of Louisville, ran off the roadway of southbound I-65, near mile marker 61.5, causing severe damage to the vehicle. Pearson was flown by Lifeline from the scene to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Both southbound lanes were closed for four hours as multiple agencies worked to clear the wreckage.
Later in the afternoon, another accident shut down the northbound lanes of I-65, also at the 61.5-mile marker. Clean up of that accident took roughly one hour.