Huntington County, IN-The Indiana State Police is currently investigating a two vehicle crash that occurred this afternoon on I-69 near the 83 mile marker in Huntington County which claimed the life of a man from Michigan.

According to Master Trooper Brian Bills, at approximately 2:10 pm, a 2002 GMC sport utility vehicle driven by Manuel Leon-Paramo, 45, from Shelby Township, Michigan was traveling northbound on I-69, just south of the 83 mile marker.  Leon-Paramo apparently lost control, drove into and through the grass median, before entering the southbound lanes of traffic.  His vehicle then struck a 2000 GMC C-6500 utility vehicle, owned by QC Communications from Wabash, Indiana, in a head-on manner.

Leon-Paramo, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected and is currently in critical condition at Lutheran Hospital.  The passenger, Audon Leon-Paramo, 31, from Shelby Township, Michigan was wearing his seatbelt but suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by Huntington County Coroner Philip S. Zahm.  The driver of the utility vehicle, Jerry L. Heuston, 36 of Gaston, Indiana, was wearing his seatbelt and was not seriously injured.

Master Trooper Bills indicated that unsafe speed for the weather conditions was a primary factor.  The Huntington County Sheriff Department crash re-constructionist assisted with the technical aspects of the crash investigation.  Both lanes of I-69 are open to normal traffic flow after having been closed for three hours.