Half of the Borman Expressway lanes were shut down for more than six hours Thursday after two semis collided in the westbound lanes, sent one rolling over into the eastbound lanes, and resulted in a coal tar spill.
Around 9:10 a.m. Thursday, Indiana State Police troopers responded to a crash in the westbound lanes of Interstate 80/94 involving two semis just east of the Indianapolis Boulevard exit, according to an ISP release. Police said a preliminary investigation showed a white Kenworth tanker carrying coal tar was traveling west when it was sideswiped by a gray 2014 Freightliner semi. The collision caused the white tanker to hit the concrete median and rollover; its cab came to rest on the inside shoulder of the westbound lanes while its tanker trailer came to rest on the inside shoulder of the eastbound lanes, the release stated.
Neither the driver of the Kenworth — Dustin Beemer, 30 of Channahon, Illinois — nor the driver of the Freightliner — Abdi Warsame, 54 of Columbus, Ohio — were injured in the crash, police said.
Some of the coal tar did leak from the Kenworth tanker trailer, so remediation crews had to be called to the scene for the cleanup. The two inside lanes of westbound side and the two inside lanes of eastbound side were closed for offloading the tanker and removal of the vehicles, the release stated.
Cleanup of the scene is nearly complete, but delays are expected due to a large backup of traffic.
