DEMOTTE — A three-vehicle crash resulted in serious injuries Thursday morning, at approximately 10:30, at the intersection of Forsythia St. and 15th St. (SR 10) in DeMotte.
According to the DeMotte Police Department, a Ford 150, driven by Emma Boezeman, 67, of DeMotte, turned off of Forsythia onto 15th St., heading west, when the truck collided with a Chevrolet Equinox, also westbound on 15th St., driven by Phyllis Gouwens, 81, of DeMotte. Gouwens’ Equinox rolled over onto its roof.
As it was rolling, it collided with another vehicle that was heading east driven by Angela Buck, 46, also of DeMotte. She told officers she saw the two vehicles collide, then the Equinox was rolling towards her. She told officers tried to avoid impact but was unable to, and the Equinox hit her GMC Arcadia on the driver’s side. Buck’s vehicle came to a stop in a wooded area on the south side of the road.
After striking the Equinox, Boezeman’s truck continued westbound, veering off the road to the north and impacting a NITCO utility pole. Boezeman told officers she and her husband felt the impact and thought they had been rear-ended. Damage from the collision with the Chevy SUV was found on the driver’s side wheelwell, which matched the damage to the passenger side front of Gouwen’s vehicle.
Gouwens was unconscious according to the paramedics who responded, and they attempted to have her airlifted; however, the helicopter had an extended arrival time, so she was taken by ambulance to Franciscan St. Anthony’s Hospital in Crown Point. Buck was also transported to St. Anthony’s by Wheatfield Ambulance with minor bleeding from a head injury.
Boezeman complained of left leg pain and had a bleeding injury to her right knee, but refused transportation to a hospital.
The report states there was extensive damage to both Gouwen’s and Buck’s vehicles, while the Ford’s damage was less extensive.
Jasper County Sheriff’s Deputy Roosma took video of the scene with a drone. DeMotte Officer Rick Johnson assisted by Russ Shouse and Steve Holder of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department investigated the accident.
Keener Township Fire and EMS also assisted at the scene.
It was determined that Boezeman failed to yield the right of way.
