Chesterton, IN (September 24, 2026) – According to Indiana State Police, a 19-year-old Valparaiso motorcyclist died and a second rider was seriously injured in a crash on Interstate 94 near Chesterton.
The crash happened around 8:11 p.m. on September 24, 2026, on I-94 westbound, about two miles east of the Chesterton exit. State police say two motorcycles and a passenger car were involved.
Investigators believe the two motorcycles had been traveling at a high rate of speed, coming from the Michigan City area. One motorcyclist, identified as Matthew Lowenthal, 19, of Valparaiso, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second motorcyclist, Luke Tilford, had pulled his motorcycle onto the shoulder and was dismounting when he was struck by a passing vehicle, according to police. Authorities believe the passing driver, who was driving a Tesla, was trying to avoid the initial crash and may not have realized they struck Tilford on the shoulder. Tilford was taken for emergency treatment of serious injuries. The driver of the passenger car reported no injuries.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has video of it is asked to contact the Indiana State Police Lowell Post. The investigation remains ongoing.
Motorcycle Accidents on Indiana Highways
This crash raises two separate legal questions rather than one. The first involves what caused the initial collision between the motorcycles. The second involves whether the passing driver who struck Tilford on the shoulder exercised reasonable care in trying to avoid the scene ahead.
- Comparative fault: Indiana law allows a person found partly at fault to still recover, as long as their share of responsibility stays under 51 percent (IC 34-51-2-6)
- Duty to shoulder-side motorists: drivers owe a duty of care to people stopped along the shoulder, even in an emergency avoidance situation
- Evidence from the scene: dash camera and 911 call recordings that can establish the sequence of events between the initial crash and the second impact
- Vehicle data: the Tesla’s onboard systems may have recorded speed and braking data in the moments before it struck Tilford
Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations gives an injured person two years from the date of a crash to file a claim (IC 34-11-2-4), and the same two-year window applies to a wrongful death claim (IC 34-23-1-1). For this crash, both deadlines fall on September 24, 2028.
Contact Our Indiana Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
A high-speed crash followed by a second collision seconds later leaves a lot of unanswered questions for both families tonight, and untangling what happened takes more than a quick read of the initial police report.
Our Indiana motorcycle accident attorneys have handled multi-vehicle crash cases where fault is split across more than one driver, working with reconstruction experts to sort out what each party actually contributed to the outcome.
The Tesla involved in striking Tilford may hold data that gets overwritten or becomes harder to access the longer a claim waits to begin, making an early records request part of building this case correctly.
We take motorcycle accident cases on contingency, so there’s no upfront cost and no fee unless we recover for you.
Why Indiana families trust Langer & Langer:
- Founded 1980, over 45 years serving Indiana families
- 100+ years of combined legal experience
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