Just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday, what began as a routine roadside stop turned into a tragedy that left 26-year-old Thomas Diener of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, dead and three others injured on a stretch of U.S. Highway 30 west of U.S. 31 near Plymouth, Indiana.
Diener’s pickup was pulled onto the north shoulder of the highway, parked behind a disabled truck that had broken down earlier in the evening. A tow crew was on scene preparing to assist when a westbound semi-truck failed to stop and plowed into the stationary vehicles from behind.
The impact was overwhelming. Diener was ejected from his pickup and suffered catastrophic injuries. First responders arrived within minutes, but he was pronounced dead at the scene by the Marshall County coroner.
Three others were hurt in the collision. Two passengers in the vicinity of the disabled truck and the tow truck operator were transported to Memorial Hospital in South Bend — some by air ambulance — where their injuries were being treated. At least one individual declined medical care at the scene.
The crash snarled traffic for hours as crews from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police worked through the night documenting evidence, clearing debris, and speaking to onlookers to piece together exactly what happened. Authorities have not publicly released the identity of the semi-truck driver or suggested whether any charges or citations will be filed.
Investigators emphasized that conditions like speed, visibility, and the challenges of nighttime driving are part of their ongoing review, but they aren’t drawing conclusions until the full probe is complete. Drivers who were in the area at the time have been urged to contact law enforcement with any observations that could help clarify the sequence of events.
In communities touched by the crash, messages of sympathy have spread quickly. Friends, family, and neighbors described Diener as a young man with his whole life ahead of him, and officials noted that formal notifications to his loved ones were still underway as of Friday morning. Local voices shared similar reminders about roadway safety and the unpredictable dangers of roadside emergencies.
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