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Truck driver sentenced in fatal Indiana Toll Road crash for driving while on marijuana

Cars drive on the Indiana Toll Road in northern Indiana
Photo provided ITR Concession Company
/
WVPE
Cars drive on the Indiana Toll Road in northern Indiana

On June 1 of last year, a series of cars driving east were slowing down or had stopped due to construction on the toll road near Tire Rack when a truck driven by Chasen Thompson failed to slow down and rammed into the cars, causing a massive crash.

The collision killed 45-year-old Eric Klein and 82-year-old Jacqueline Luczak and five other motorists were injured.

On Friday, the truck driver who was found with THC in his bloodstream during the crash was sentenced to a decade in prison.

Prosecutors charged the 28-year Thompson five months after the wreck saying toxicology results showed Thompson had marijuana in his system at the time.

Thompson eventually pleaded guilty to all counts and on Friday he was sentenced to 20 years for the crash.

Thompson will spend 10 years in prison then the rest on house arrest and probation and his license will be suspended for 10 years as well.

Marek Mazurek has been with WVPE since April 2023, though he's been in Michiana for most of his life. He has a particular interest in public safety reporting. When he's not on the radio, Marek enjoys getting way too into Notre Dame football and reading about medieval English history.