Bloomfield, IN (August 29, 2026) – A truck pulling a trailer struck the rear of an unoccupied semi-tractor-trailer on southbound Interstate 69 near the 93-mile marker and burst into flames, according to Indiana State Police.
The driver, Timothy W. Graham, 77, and passenger Carol A. Graham, 74, both of Columbia City, died at the scene, state police said. The semi they struck had been used by construction workers to apply epoxy.
A construction worker, identified as Calif Abdullah Kelsaw Jr., 29, of Fort Wayne, was struck and transported via medical helicopter to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis for further treatment. Indiana State Police did not provide an update on his condition in its release.
An Indiana State Police crash reconstructionist was contacted and initiated an initial investigation upon arrival on August 29.
The crash also resulted in epoxy spillage, and representatives from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management were contacted to evaluate and assist with material removal. An inspector was also contacted to examine and ascertain any damage levels to the bridge where the crash happened.
The northbound and southbound lanes of I-69 were opened just before 7:15 p.m. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office, fire and EMS from Greene County, and the Greene County Coroner’s Office were among the agencies that responded and assisted.
The crash remains under investigation at this time.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Liability in Indiana Interstate Work Zone Crashes
State police have reported only that a truck struck the rear of a stopped semi being used for construction. What an investigation looks at next is broader than the two vehicles.
- Who may bear responsibility: the construction contractor, the company that owned or positioned the semi, the party responsible for traffic control and signage in the work zone, and the agency that approved the lane closure plan
- What investigators examine: the approved traffic control plan and lane closure permit, sign and taper placement in advance of the stopped equipment, warning lights and reflective markings on the trailer, how far the semi sat into the travel lane, and event data from the truck
- What evidence disappears fastest: the work zone as it was configured that day, which is reset or removed within hours, and photographs taken before the scene is cleared
- What the injured worker may have: a workers’ compensation claim through his employer, and separately a third-party claim if another party contributed
Indiana applies a modified comparative fault standard. A family may still recover compensation provided their loved one is found less than 51 percent at fault.
If a governmental entity shares responsibility for the work zone, the Indiana Tort Claims Act imposes a notice deadline far shorter than the ordinary filing deadline. Notice to a political subdivision such as a county is due within 180 days (IC 34-13-3-8), which is February 25, 2027. Notice to a state agency is due within 270 days (IC 34-13-3-6), which is May 26, 2027. Missing the applicable notice usually ends that claim permanently.
The ordinary wrongful death deadline is two years from the date of death (IC 34-23-1-1), which for this crash is August 29, 2028.
Contact Our Indiana Wrongful Death Attorneys
A family in Columbia City lost two people in the same moment, and a family in Fort Wayne is sitting in a hospital in Indianapolis waiting on news. Neither of them should have to think about paperwork right now.
We raise the deadlines only because they are real and they are short. If a public agency turns out to share responsibility for how that work zone was set up, the window to put it on notice closes in February 2027 or May 2027, well before the two-year filing deadline most people have heard of. Our wrongful death lawyer in Indiana team handles that step so families do not have to track it.
The work zone itself is already gone. Photographs taken by other drivers that day, the lane closure permit, and the contractor’s traffic control plan are the records that show how that semi came to be sitting where it was.
There is no charge to talk with us and no fee at all unless we recover for you.
Why Indiana families trust Langer & Langer:
- Founded in 1980, over 45 years serving Indiana families
- 100+ years of combined legal experience
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