Indiana Man Arrested After Crash With Buses Injures 7 High School Baseball Players And 2 Coaches

An Indiana man is facing charges in connection with a multi-vehicle crash that included to school buses transporting a youth baseball team, resulting in nine injuries.

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office said the incident began when the St. Joseph County Police Department received a report of a box truck driving recklessly on westbound SR 2. When a St. Joseph County Deputy attempted a traffic stop, the box truck failed to stop, continuing into La Porte County.

At around 3:13 p.m., La Porte County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Armstrong was dispatched to the area of SR 2 and US 20 in response to the box truck driving recklessly. Just minutes later, at 3:16 p.m. deputies were called to respond to a multi-vehicle crash at US 20 and Fail Road.

The box truck was involved in the crash along with a commercial vehicle and two New Prairie United School Corporation mini-buses that were transported the New Prairie High School baseball team to a game scheduled to take place that afternoon.

A total of nine people were injured: seven student athletes and two coaches. “Several” of the injured were transported to local hospitals, including one student who was airlifted from the scene. Others were treated at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.

The driver of the box truck, 41-year-old Shawn Wesly Russell Akison, was arrested at the scene and transported by a deputy to an area hospital for treatment. After being medically cleared, he was booked into the La Porte County Jail on a charge of criminal recklessness, a felony, and held on a $15,005 cash-only bond.

“Immediately following the crash, we began communicating with New Prairie United School Corporation Administrators,” Administrative Captain Derek J. Allen said in a statement. “We are asking for your thoughts and prayers for all of the injured, their families and friends, and the entire school corporation. Please do not speculate on the circumstances of the crash and respect the privacy of those impacted by this tragic incident.”

The sheriff’s office said the investigation is ongoing and toxicology results are pending. Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed or has video footage of the box truck driving in the area, or of the crash itself, to email Chief of Detectives Captain Andy Hynek at ahynek@lcso.in.gov.