Indianapolis woman killed, another critically injured in crash on NB I-69 near Auburn

DEKALB COUNTY, Ind. (WPTA) - A 22-year-old Indianapolis woman was killed and another critically injured in a crash on I-69 near Auburn on Wednesday.

Mia Stevens was driving northbound in a 2008 Ford Edge passenger car near the 326-mile marker, near the beginning of a construction zone, according to the Indiana State Police. Traffic was stopped in both lanes at the time of the crash due to the construction and merging.

Investigators believe Stevens did not notice traffic was stopped in time to stop her car, instead abruptly swerving from the passing lane to the driving lane to avoid a crash.

As a result, her driver's side struck a 2024 Volvo semi-tractor/trailer that was stopped in the driving lane. Investigators say they believe she was traveling at a "highway speed" at the time of the crash.

A 22-year-old Indianapolis who was in Stevens' car during the crash was critically injured and taken to an area hospital. Her condition is unknown as of 9 p.m. Thursday.

The driver of the semi-tractor/trailer was not injured.

Northbound lanes were closed for about three hours for the investigation.

ISP troopers from the Fort Wayne post were assisted in the investigation by the ISP Crash Reconstruction Team, ISP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, DeKalb County Sheriff's Department, Auburn Police Department, Allen County Police Department, Parkview EMS, Auburn Fire Department, the DeKalb County Coroner, INDOT workers and Parker's Wrecker Service.

The crash remains under investigation.

Though the circumstances of what led to the crash are still unclear, ISP asks drivers to use extreme caution when entering and driving through roadway construction zones.