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A Howe man with internal injuries was airlifted from the scene of a semi-train collision this morning in Mentone.
According to a news release from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, county officials are assisting the Mentone Police Department with the accident that occurred at the intersection of Ind. 25 and Ind. 19 in Mentone.
At 4:54 a.m., Kosciusko County 911 Emergency Dispatch Center dispatched emergency personnel to the accident. Emergency personnel arrived on scene and located a semi and train involved in the accident. The semi was fully engulfed in flames upon emergency personnel arrival.
Preliminary investigation determined the semi was westbound on Ind. 25 and was proceeding to make a left turn. The semi appeared to have missed his turn, driving off the road and disabling his vehicle on the tracks. A Norfolk Southern train was eastbound when it hit the disabled semi.
The make and model of the semi is unknown due to the severity of the fire.
The driver of the semi, Lonnie R. Guyton, 60, Howe, was airlifted from the scene by Samaritan helicopter to Fort Wayne for treatment of his internal injuries.
Along with KCSO, agencies that responded to the scene were Mentone Police Department, Mentone Fire Department, Burket Fire Department, Lutheran EMS, Crouse Wrecker Service, Norfolk Southern PD and Samaritan Air Ambulance.
The crash remains under investigation by the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office FACT Team.
