A Gary Police officer inspects a vehicle Wednesday on eastbound U.S 20 in Gary after the cab of a payloader that was being moved was sheared off under a bridge and landed on a car. (Michael McArdle/Post-Tribune)
Posted on 06/17/2010 7:56:13 AM PDT by KeyLargo
Witness: 'It dropped right on top of the car'
June 17, 2010
BY LORI CALDWELL, (219) 648-3258
GARY -- A truck driver hauling heavy equipment slammed his cargo into a railroad overpass Wednesday morning, sending a huge chunk of metal flying onto the car behind him.
Four occupants of the Pontiac were trapped under the cab of a payloader that fell as Jewan Mendonca, 50, tried to drive his 15-foot-tall load under a bridge 14 feet 2 inches high, police spokesman Cpl. Gabrielle King said.
Jessie Small, 27, of Gary, who was driving the car, and his 21-year-old back-seat passenger were the most seriously injured, police said. The other passengers, ages 25 and 19, who were sitting on the right side of the car, were also taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Their conditions were not available Wednesday night.
Despite calls from fellow truck drivers who notified Mendonca by radio that he had crushed a car at U.S. 20 near Interstate 65, Mendonca didn't stop until he reached Reteihs Freight Lines in Portage.
The speed limit on that stretch of road is 45 mph.
Gary Henn, a truck driver from Kentucky, said that like Mendonca, he was driving east on U.S. 20 and saw the cab of the payloader hit the bridge.
"It dropped right on top of the car," Henn said.
Henn said he immediately pulled over and reached Mendonca on his radio.
"He said he was going to pull over," Henn said.
With help from motorists, Cpl. Richard Pratt, Cpl. Agnes Roberts and Patrolman Derrick Gilliam located the truck at 1201 Marina View Drive and arrested Mendonca, who faces several charges, including failure of duty and improper oversized load, King said.
"The investigation is just starting, there may be other charges as well," she added.
Gilliam escorted the driver to the hospital for a chemical test while Pratt and Roberts interviewed witnessess and gathered evidence in the crash.
Reporter Jon Seidel contributed to this story.
A Gary Police officer inspects a vehicle Wednesday on eastbound U.S 20 in Gary after the cab of a payloader that was being moved was sheared off under a bridge and landed on a car. (Michael McArdle/Post-Tribune)
“Four occupants of the Pontiac were trapped under the cab of a payloader that fell as Jewan Mendonca, 50, tried to drive his 15-foot-tall load under a bridge 14 feet 2 inches high, police spokesman Cpl. Gabrielle King said.”
Had Mr. Mendonca consumed a cold drink or two?
Jessie Small...was the most seriously injured, police said.
I’ll guess Mendonca is an illegal, no CDL, and probably said, “What?” a lot during questioning.
The biggest story to effect Gary since Micheal Jackson died.
Ouch. We have a railroad trestle here in Durham that’s become semi-famous for averaging one truck remodeling a month, usually by somebody driving a 24-foot or similar rental under it and peeling back the top. It’s gotten so bad, a guy who works at that corner put a camera up in his office to capture the carnage and posts the videos on Youtube and at his own website:
It’s not so much that this guy was bad enough to forget his clearance, but why didn’t he pull over? There’s no way he didn’t feel that loader come off his trailer, is there? And he kept going even after being told he’d caused that wreck. Sheesh.
}:-)4
The biggest story to effect Gary since Micheal Jackson “died.”
No. Just a slow news day.
No murders yesterday.
Truck stop worker fatally shot in Gary
(http://www.post-trib.com/news/2305454,gdead0523.article)
May 23, 2010
POST-TRIBUNE STAFF REPORT
GARY — A Park Forest, Ill., man who worked at a Miller truck stop, was shot to death Saturday morning outside the business.
Gary police and the Lake County Coroner’s office identified the victim as Vernale Givens, 28.
Lt. Jack Arnold said police were called to the Steel City Truck Stop, 8121 Melton Road, at 7:22 a.m. It’s at the southeast corner of U.S. 20 and Indiana 51.
Arnold said Givens suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He said Givens ran back into the truck stop and collapsed after he was shot. Employees there called the police.
Police would not say if there had been a robbery.
“We’re still investigating the motive,” Arnold said.
P.J. Adams, of the coroner’s office, said Givens was pronounced dead at 8:45 a.m. He said the Lake County Crime Lab also was at the scene.
Arnold said police were still canvassing the area for witnesses. He said the restaurant in the truck stop was a good distance across the parking lot from the shooting.
Sgt. Larry Robinson and Detective Jeff Hemphill are investigating the shooting. It’s Gary’s 15th homicide of the year and the third one in three days.
A man’s gotta know his limitations...and the height of his truck.
“...and probably said, “What?” a lot during questioning.”
You mean, “Que?”
Yes we have a culture here that encourages men to drink to the point of stupor, then get behind the wheel.
Uhh...no...from the name, this guy is probably from Goa, India.
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