CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A stray dog running around on the Indiana Toll Road led to the death of a 7-year old boy Thursday.
Indiana State Police said the semi crashed into the back of a Chevrolet Volt that 7-year-old Thatcher Swanson was in.
The crash happened around 10:40 a.m. on the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) in Gary.
Police said several cars had been slowing down, and even stopping, in the right lane of the Toll Road about a mile west of Grant Street in Gary. Some people had gotten out of their vehicle to chase a stray dog that had been running onto the road.
The Chevrolet Volt had to stop, too, over a bridge, but the Freightliner semi, driven by a 51-year-old Ohio man did not slow down and slammed into the small car.
The child had been in the back seat and was ejected from the car and killed.
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The driver, Anthony M. Swanson, 38, and a female passenger in the front seat suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. They were both transported to Northlake Hospital in Gary for treatment. The driver of the semi was not injured. The semi was loaded with 10 pounds of corrosive acid. There was no loss of load from the trailer, police said.
The Indiana Toll Road eastbound lanes were closed at this location for approximately 6 hours. Due to the large area covered by the crash scene, the investigation/reconstruction and scene clean-up took an extended amount of time, police said.
There is no word at this point on possible charges.