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Trucker Tells Police Coughing Led To Fatal Crash

UNION TOWNSHIP, Ind. (STMW) -- A semi truck driver told Indiana State Police that he was coughing so hard that he disobeyed a stop light and slammed into a sport-utility vehicle -- killing the driver -- Tuesday afternoon in northwest Indiana.

Roberto Sanchez was driving a 2009 Freightliner pulling a double trailer west on U.S. Route 30 when he started to cough uncontrollably and disobeyed a stop light a North 600 West and slammed into a southbound sport-utility vehicle at the intersection about 12:45 p.m., Indiana State Police said.

The impact caused the vehicles to cross over the grassy median and come to rest in the eastbound lanes, according to an Indiana State Police release.

The driver of the SUV was dead on the scene, said State Police, who were not releasing the identity because family has not been notified.

Neither Sanchez, 52, of Charlotte, N.C., or his sleeping co-driver were injured, the release said. The semi, which was owned by Old Dominion of Thomasville, N.C., was carrying general freight, which was not lost during the crash.

All westbound lanes were closed while State Police investigated the crash and only the outer shoulder in the eastbound lanes remained opened, State Police said.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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