STEUBEN CO., Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana State Police says its troopers from Fort Wayne and Steuben County responded to a 911 call reporting a pedestrian had been struck on Indiana Toll Road on Saturday afternoon.
ISP says that an investigation of the scene showed that Micheal Shaw, 45, of Portland, Oregon had been driving a pickup truck pulling a utility trailer and had pulled over heading eastbound, near mile marker 142, due to a developing mechanical issue.
Shaw got out to look under the hood. That’s when ISP says that for an unknown reason, he entered the right lane of travel, not noticing an oncoming semi. He was struck in the roadway by the semi and pronounced dead at the scene according to Indiana State Police.
ISP said that this is an ongoing investigation.
Indiana State Police released the following:
Saturday afternoon at approximately 1:15pm, the Steuben County dispatch center received a 911 call reporting a pedestrian struck on the Indiana Toll Road near the 142mm, two miles west of I-69 in Steuben County. State Troopers from both the Toll Road Post and Fort Wayne Post responded to investigate.
Arriving first on scene, Trooper Garrett Tharp located a disabled yellow pickup truck pulling a utility trailer and a passenger vehicle, parked on the right shoulder of the eastbound lanes. A critically injured unresponsive adult male was found laying on the roadway ahead of those vehicles. A semi-tractor/trailer was stopped on the right shoulder several hundred feet ahead the scene.
Trooper Tharp as well as Steuben County EMS personnel assessed the male victim and found no signs of life. The victim was identified as Michael Shaw, 45, of Portland, Oregon. Shaw was pronounced dead at the scene by the Steuben County Coroner.
Trooper Tharp’s preliminary investigation reveled that Michael Shaw had been driving the yellow 2005 Chevrolet pickup truck prior to developing a mechanical problem, at which time he pulled over to the shoulder. Mr. Shaw was traveling with family members in the passenger vehicle that had pulled over with him. Mr. Shaw exited his pickup truck and raised the hood to assess the problem. For an unknown reason, Shaw walked out from in front of his truck and was standing in the right lane of travel, apparently not noticing an oncoming semi-tractor/trailer. Shaw was then struck in the roadway by that semi-tractor.
The driver of the 2020 Freightliner semi-tractor/trailer, Princ Blakaj, 30, of Bronx, New York, immediately pulled over after striking Shaw. He remained at the scene and fully cooperated with troopers during the investigation. As a result of the crash, Blakaj was not injured, but was transported to a local area hospital for a chemical test blood draw as required by Indiana law. Those test results are pending.
Notifications were made to the Shaw family.
This is an ongoing investigation, which upon conclusion will be turned over to the Steuben County Prosecutor for a full review and determination of any warranted charges.
Trooper Tharp was assisted at the scene by the several troopers from both the Toll Road Post and the Fort Wayne Post, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, Steuben County Fire and EMS personnel, the Steuben County Coroner, and Bill’s Professional Towing Service.
The Indiana State Police would remind all motorists that as of July 1, 2023, Indiana’s ‘Move Over or Slow Down’ law was amended. The law now requires that all motorists move over or slow down when approaching a disabled vehicle (with flashing hazard lights activated). In that same reminder, it is very important for all disabled motorists and their passengers to pay attention and remain ever vigilant to the hazards posed by stopping, standing, or parking along our busy high speed interstate roadways. *Should your vehicle become disabled while traveling, it is suggested to call 911 for immediate assistance, and then rather than exit your vehicle, stay inside the vehicle with your seatbelt fastened until help arrives.
