Eight people, including a Good Samaritan just trying to help, were injured as the result of a pair of crashes involving three vehicles Thursday night in LaPorte County.
The pedestrian was injured while attempting to help the victims of the first pileup after it happened, according to the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department.
The crashes happened at C.R. 400 S and U.S. 35 around 9 p.m. Thursday. The first crash happened when a Jeep was tried to turn onto C.R. 400 S from U.S. 35 and ended up colliding with a Chevy Trailblazer that was going the other way.
The second crash happened when a pickup truck hit one of the vehicles involved in the first crash. A Good Samaritan trying to help out in the first crash was hit in the second crash.
All eight were taken to the hospital with the Good Samaritan having to be flown to South Bend Memorial in critical condition.
The driver of the Chevy Trailblazer, 31 year old Shawn Bowerson of Kingsford Heights, was charged with Operating While Intoxicated. He’s already bonded out and been released from jail, according to police.
Police are still investigating, as is the Fatal Accident Crash Reconstruction Team.