ISP: Tanker driver cited in crash, explosion

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Indiana Department of Transportation says the I-69 ramp leading south onto I-465 south should be open for Tuesday morning’s commute.

The ramp has been closed since last Thursday, when a tanker crashed and exploded into a ball of flame.

The man who was driving that tanker is named Ronald Tobias.

Ever since the accident, police have been trying to determine just why the 73-year-old Syracuse, Indiana man lost control of his rig.

“It’s a combination of factors,” said Indiana State Police First Sergeant David Bursten. “Investigating the evidence at the scene, as well as the different witnesses that were involved both before and after the collision, what they saw.”

After reviewing the evidence, investigators said it appears Tobias did two things wrong.

The speed limit at the part of the ramp where the crash occurred is 50 miles per hour.
Police said Tobias was going faster than that. They also said that he was changing lanes in an unsafe way.

“Both of those are infractions,” Bursten said. “The maximum fine for each offense is $500.”

That could cost Tobias $1,000.

Fixing the damage his truck caused will end up costing much more than that.

The Indiana Department of Transportation flew steel samples from the overpass by helicopter to a lab in northern Indiana so they could be tested before the weekend began.

And, INDOT has paid lots of overtime to workers to get the heavily travelled interstate lanes back open as quickly as possible.

Indiana taxpayers will pay for some of this, but the truck driver’s insurer will likely hear from INDOT as well.

“We’ll likely be filing a claim sometime in the future,” said INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield, “To try to recoup some of the money that the taxpayers are putting out to get this reopened.”

INDOT has not yet totaled up the cost of the repairs.

Tobias worked for AmeriGas Propane and was based out of Lima, Ohio.  Late Monday afternoon, Amerigas spokesperson David Lugar issued this statement via email to 24-Hour News 8.

AmeriGas is working closely with local law enforcement, the Department of Transportation, and the National Transportation Safety Board to conduct a thorough investigation of this incident. AmeriGas has been and will remain on the scene as the investigation continues.

The driver involved is currently recovering from injuries sustained in the incident. Mr. Tobias began his employment with AmeriGas/PTI in 1995.

We are extremely grateful to the emergency responders and fire crews who worked tirelessly to contain this incident, and to those who provided medical care for the injured. AmeriGas also would like to especially thank Robert and Pamela Skaggs and Lonnie Hood, who specifically assisted our driver.

We followed up that statement with questions about Mr. Tobias and his future with AmeriGas.  

Lugar wrote, "It is premature since the investigation is continuing and Mr. Tobias is at home recovering. After the investigation is complete, those questions will be addressed."