Published: November 25, 2009 04:07 pm      

Two injured in large accident in Indiana

PERRYSVILLE, Ind. — One person remains hospitalized today following a traffic accident involving two semis, a school bus and a car.

The crash happened just after 4 p.m. EST Tuesday on Indiana State Road 63 near County Road 1300N.

According to the Vermillion County Sheriff’s Department, a North Vermilion High School bus was northbound on State Road 63 in traffic that had been slowed because of a vehicle fire further north.

The bus driver, Dan Morgan, 52, of Cayuga, Ind., was waiting to merge into the passing lane when a semi approaching from the rear collided with the bus, sending it into the ditch.

The semi, driven by Nenad Knezevic, 29, of Lyons, Ill., then went into the passing lane where it struck a Chevrolet Malibu and then the trailer of a semi belonging to Parks Livestock in Oakwood, Ill., and driven by Jeff Frazier, 45, of Westville, Ill.

Knezevic and Morgan were each taken to Provena United Samaritans Medical Center in Danville, Ill. Morgan was treated and released, according to a spokeswoman, while Knezevic was transported by helicopter to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill.

A Carle spokeswoman said Knezevic was listed in critical condition this afternoon.

The Chevy Malibu, driven by Benjamin Lange, 19, of West Lafayette, Ind., along with the school bus and Knezevic’s semi were towed from the scene. The bus and semi were considered total losses.

The Parks Livestock semi trailer received heavy damage, but was driven away.

Lange and Frazier refused medical treatment.

Knezevic was issued citations for a seat belt violation and driving too fast to avoid a collision.