Porter County-A nineteen year-old Westville man was airlifted from a nearby hospital today after losing control on I-94 and crashing into a semi.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Luke J McCormick, 19 of Westville, was west bound on I-94 at the 21 mile marker (this is just west of Burns Harbor exit) in the left lane when he was going too fast for existing snow covered road conditions. McCormick lost control of his silver 2001 Pontiac Sunfire, spun out into the middle lane in front of a 2011 International semi pulling a rail container, driven by Robert J. Himmerstein, 56 of Lansing, Michigan. The semi, owned by JB Hunt out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, hit the passenger side of the Sunfire; causing the semi to jack-knife with the Pontiac still attached to its front end. Both vehicles went off the roadway, through a fence, down a ditch and almost came out onto an access road at the bottom.

McCormick was taken to Porter Regional Hospital in Valparaiso where he was later airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital with life threatening head injuries. His vehicle was a total loss.

Himmerstein was not injured and his semi sustained approximately $10,000 in damages.

Agencies assisting: Burns Harbor Police, Fire and EMS and Indiana Department of Transportation Hoosier Helpers.

Investigation officers: Master Trooper Steve Caylor, Master Trooper Dave Miller and Sergeant Jack Clute.