Police: Dropped sandwich led to fatal semi crash

CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) — An Indianapolis woman died Saturday after a semi driver dropped his sandwich and leaned over to pick it up, causing a crash.

According to Indiana State Police, two semi trucks crashed Saturday morning on Interstate 70 Westbound in Clay County.

A master trooper reported that at 11:53 a.m. a semi truck driven by Joe Robinson Jr. of Indianapolis was traveling westbound on Interstate 70 near the 17 mile marker. He dropped his sandwich and leaned to pick it up, taking his eyes off the road. Once he looked back at the road he saw traffic had slowed or stoppped in front of him.

Robinson attempted to avoid a crash with another semi truck, but clipped its rear, causing its fuel tank to burst into flames. This second truck was driven by Michael Workman of Glendale, Arizona.

Robinson’s truck continued to travel, eventually going into the median and coming to a stop.

April Robinson, age 45, was in the sleeper berth of Robinson’s semi-truck during the accident and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A passenger who was located in the the sleeper berth of Workman’s semi truck, Charles Tolbert, received neck and back injuries from the impact of the collision. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The drivers of both semi trucks were not injured.

Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be a contributing factor to this distracted driver accident.