INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Police said Sunday night that a 57-year-old truck driver involved in a crash that killed a mother and her twins and sent seven people to the hospitals has been arrested.
Bruce Pollard of Sturgeon, Missouri, faces three preliminary counts of reckless homicide and five counts of criminal recklessness causing injury. He remained in jail Sunday night. Pollard is employed by Weston Transportation of Sturgeon, Missouri, according to Indiana officials
The mother and her twin girls have been identified as 29-year-old Alanna Koons and 18-month-old June and Ruby Koons.
Police said Pollard was traveling well above the posted speed limit when he plowed his truck into traffic stopped for construction, hitting six cars and overturning a truck.
His truck was carrying sheet metal, police said.
The crash happened in the eastbound lanes of I-465 near mile marker 33.
Pollard told police a white car cut in front of him, slammed on its brakes and sped away, causing him to brake and hit the cars in front of him.
Witnesses at the scene told authorities the semi driver failed to see traffic was stopped and hit the vehicles in front of him, according to Indianapolis Fire Department.
The first car struck by the semi burst into flames, witnesses told IFD. Authorities believe the mother and her twins were in that car and died at the scene.
Police said the tractor-trailer hit two other cars, overturned a truck with a trailer and pinned a car against the interstate shoulder, dragging it 300 yards before hitting two more cars, according to IFD.
Crews from Indianapolis, Carmel and Pike Township fire departments responded to the scene, which included a debris field three-quarters of a mile long, IFD said.
In all, seven adults were taken to area hospitals – two with critical injuries and five in good condition, ISP said.
Pollard was treated for a minor abrasion at the scene, IFD said.
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