2 from Terre Haute hospitalized after taxi crashes on I-70

CLAY COUNTY -  Two Terre Haute residents were hospitalized when a taxi cab service they were using crashed on Interstate 70 in Clay County this afternoon.

The two injured passengers were transported to a Terre Haute hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the single-vehicle crash. One was later transported to an Indianapolis hospital by air ambulance.

• Lakesha Denton, 42.
• Antowane Simmons, 18.

The taxi driver, Trey Bolinger, 31, of Farmersburg, complained of pain in one arm, but declined medical treatment at the scene.

Indiana State Police responded to the scene, near the 26 mile marker westbound around 2 p.m.

According to the report, Bolinger was driving a 2006 Toyota van for uCabbi transportation, when he lost control of the vehicle for an unknown reason and traveled off the south side of I-70, striking the guide wire in the median.  He then over-corrected the van, sending it back north across both lanes of I-70.  

Neither passenger was wearing a seat belt, and both were ejected from the van.

"The back seat passenger was ejected from the vehicle through the rear window, ISP Sgt. Matt Ames said, adding, "Due to the force of the intensive impact caused by the van traveling back onto I-70, the front seat passenger door came ajar, ejecting the front passenger of the van onto the south side emergency lane of I-70."

The driver reportedly had transported the two passengers from Terre Haute to Indianapolis earlier in the day and was transporting them back to their residence when the van went off the roadway. It eventually struck an embankment and came to a stop.  

Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Jackson Township Fire Department, Posey Township Fire Department and Star Ambulance assisted ISP at the scene.