At least 1 dead, 2 critically injured in I-80/94 crash near Hammond, Indiana State Police say

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. (WLS) -- One person was killed and two people were injured in a highway crash Thursday in Northwest Indiana.

The crash happened around 1:25 p.m. on eastbound I-80/94 in Lake County. It was on the Columbia Avenue overpass between Calumet Avenue and Indianapolis Boulevard, near Hammond and Munster.

A semi was in the second lane from the left and began to slow down. A Kia Sorento SUV behind the semi began to slow down or was already stopped, state police said. A second semi rear ended the Kia and pushed it underneath the trailer of the front semi.

Indiana State Police confirmed one passenger in the Kia died in the crash. Two other people, including the driver of the Kia and a child passenger, have potentially life-threatening injuries.

Chopper7 was over the scene. A small vehicle appeared to have significant damage and was stuck between two semi trucks.

All eastbound lanes were reopened after 6 p.m. on I-80/94 near Calumet Avenue after police were on the scene investigating the crash.

No further information about the crash was immediately available.