Steuben County, IN (September 14, 2026) – Indiana State Police responded to a crash involving four semis on the eastbound Indiana Toll Road at about 10:39 p.m. on September 14, 2026. The crash happened at mile marker 151.2 and blocked all eastbound lanes, according to ISP.
Preliminary investigation indicates traffic had slowed or stopped as it entered the merge point of an overnight work zone, police said. Crews were performing work on the Eastpoint Toll Plaza at the time.
A blue 2020 Volvo driven by Ruslan Piddaniuk, 39, of Parma, Ohio, failed to slow for traffic and ran into the slowed or stopped traffic, according to ISP. The collision involved three additional semis.
One semi caught fire, but the driver was able to escape from the vehicle, police said. Two drivers were taken to a local hospital with complaints of pain. Both were treated and released, according to ISP.
Eastbound traffic was diverted off the Toll Road at the Angola exit while crews cleared the scene. The eastbound lanes reopened at about 6:45 a.m. on September 15, police said.
The Indiana State Police were assisted by the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, the Fremont Police Department, Fremont Fire and EMS, Indiana Toll Road Maintenance, and Bill’s Professional Towing and Repair.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Semi-Truck Accidents in Steuben County, Indiana
Police have described one driver failing to slow for stopped traffic. That description matters, but it is only the starting point of a truck crash claim. Commercial crashes usually involve more than one responsible party, and the evidence that proves responsibility does not stay available for long.
Parties who may share liability in a multi-semi work zone crash include:
- The driver who failed to slow, for following too closely or not adjusting to work zone conditions
- The driver’s motor carrier, for hiring, training, scheduling, and hours-of-service compliance
- The cargo loader or shipper, if load weight or securement affected stopping distance
- A maintenance contractor, if brakes or tires were not in safe condition
- The work zone contractor or road operator, if lane closure warnings, signage, or the merge taper did not give drivers adequate notice
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules govern how long a commercial driver can be on duty, how often the truck must be inspected, and how long the carrier must keep records. Investigators and attorneys look for:
- The truck’s electronic logging device and engine control module data, which show speed and braking before impact
- Dash camera footage from all four trucks and any Toll Road cameras near the Eastpoint Plaza
- Driver logs, dispatch records, and the trip schedule leading up to the night of September 14
- The work zone traffic control plan and the placement of warning signs and message boards
Carriers are required to retain some of this data for only a matter of months. A preservation letter sent early keeps it from being overwritten.
Drivers who were working at the time may have a workers’ compensation claim through their own employer. That claim does not prevent a separate personal injury claim against the at-fault driver and that driver’s carrier. Indiana follows a modified comparative fault rule. An injured driver can still recover as long as he or she was less than 51 percent at fault (IC 34-51-2-6).
Personal injury claims in Indiana must generally be filed within two years of the crash (IC 34-11-2-4). For this crash, that deadline falls on September 14, 2028. If a public entity’s role in the work zone comes into question, notice deadlines are far shorter, as little as 180 days, so that question should be answered early.
Contact Our Indiana Truck Accident Attorneys
Being hit from behind while stopped for a work zone, then watching another truck burn, is not something a driver shakes off on the ride home. Pain that a hospital treated and released can turn into weeks of missed loads and medical visits.
Our Indiana truck accident lawyers have handled commercial crash cases across the state for more than four decades. These cases turn on carrier records, black box data, and expert reconstruction, and founding attorney Steven L. Langer has tried them in Indiana courtrooms.
The Volvo’s engine data and the carriers’ driver logs can be legally destroyed within months unless someone demands they be kept, and that demand should go out now.
There is nothing to pay up front to talk with an Indiana personal injury attorney about what happened, and no fee unless we win your case.
Why Indiana families trust Langer & Langer:
- Founded 1980, over 45 years serving Indiana families
- 100+ years of combined legal experience
- Recognized by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, American College of Trial Lawyers
- No fee unless we win
Protect the Evidence Before It Is Gone: Call 219-245-5881
Tell an Indiana crash injury attorney what you saw at the merge point that night, and we will walk you through what the carriers are required to preserve.
