LaPorte County-A Coolspring Volunteer Fire Truck was hit today while at a crash scene.

Preliminary investigation revealed that at approximately 12:01 p.m., this afternoon, a 1996 Ford Conversion Van, driven by Daniel Schoene, 51 of Saint Joseph Michigan, was west bound on I-94 at the 39.5 mile marker (this is just west of the LaPorte/Michigan City exit) in the middle lane when he lost control on “black ice”. The van hit a guard rail and spun around striking the guard rail three additional times. Schoene (who is in a wheel chair) was wearing his seat belt and was not injured. Diann Cotter, 50 of Benton Harbor, Michigan, a passenger in the van, was not wearing a seat belt and was taken to Saint Anthony’s Hospital in Michigan City for complaint of severe pain. The van sustained approximately $8,000 in damage.

Coolspring Volunteer Fire responded to the scene to assist with removing Schoene and Cotter from the van and was partially blocking the right lane. A 2000 Volvo semi hauling a rail container, driven by Stanislaw Stachon, 52 of Harwood Heights, Illinois, was in the middle lane when he braked before changing lanes to the left lane as he approached the crash scene. The semi lost control and jack-knifed. The trailer’s right rear struck the center left side of the parked fire truck. Wesley Rogers, 22 of Michigan City, was seat belted in the fire truck’s driver’s seat; he was not injured. The fire truck sustained approximately $2,000 in damage.

Investigating officers: Master Trooper David Miller, Sergeant Lee Wright and Sergeant Jack Clute

The Indiana State Police would like to remind the motoring public that with low temperatures (like today) “black ice” can form on roadways when moisture from vehicles exhaust condenses on the road surface. This causes a thin coating of glazed ice on the road and it can be virtually transparent. Bridges and overpasses can be especially