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50-year-old driver dies, crashes Tesla into disabled semi on I-64

An Indiana State Police SUV. (Provided Photo/Indiana State Police-Sellersburg on Facebook)

CORYDON, Ind. (WISH) — A 50-year-old man died Wednesday after crashing the Tesla he was driving into the rear of a disabled semitractor-trailer on I-64 in rural Harrison County, Indiana State Police say.

Suresh Kumar Lohano of Washington, Indiana, died in the crash reported about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday on I-64 eastbound about 5.5 miles west of the State Road 135 interchange for Corydon and Palmyra. The crash happened near the bridge for the Blue River.

The driver of the 2011 Kenworth semi was not named in a news release from state police. The semi driver was not injured.

Investigators believe the semi driver experienced a mechanical issue causing the vehicle to lose power while eastbound on I-64.

The release said, “The driver could not steer the semi into the right lane or shoulder due to traffic in the right lane, and the truck quickly slowed and stopped in the left lane of the interstate. The driver of the Kenworth immediately called 911 and successfully placed orange safety triangles out behind the truck.”

A short time after the triangles were set out, Lohano’s black 2023 Tesla T3 hit the semi’s rear.

Eastbound I-64 was closed through about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday for the crash.

The town of Corydon is about a half-hour drive west of downtown Louisville, Kentucky.