An Indiana State Police investigation has determined what caused a driver to swerve off Interstate 94 in Porter County and crash underneath an overpass, where he was trapped for several days before being rescued.
Matt Reum, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was driving his pickup truck along the interstate at around 11 p.m on Dec. 20, when he eventually barrelled down a ravine and came to rest under a bridge. According to a state police crash report, Reum was interviewed by troopers following the crash and explained that he swerved to the right to avoid striking a deer.
It wasn't until six days later when Reum, who was seriously injured, was discovered by two fishermen. They quickly called 911, which brought first responders, including several members of the Portage Fire Department, to the scene.
They were immediately confronted with a rocky slope and rushing waters in their efforts to save the 27-year-old, who was pinned from the legs down in the truck.
“As we started essentially prying some pieces away, the patient would start saying ‘ohhh, I can feel that,’ or ‘it’s starting to pinch on me,” firefighter Jordan Bucy said. “Obviously, it’s like ‘okay now, we’ve got to reset and rethink what we’re doing.’”
Bucy said it took an hour to extricate Reum from the truck, but firefighters were able to do so successfully, allowing him to be airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.
Police said that no one would have been able to see the truck from atop the bridge as it carried Interstate 94 over the creek, but the vehicle’s location did have one advantage. According to firefighters, Reum was able to collect rainwater despite being trapped, and he used that to help hydrate himself enough to survive.
The Indiana man sustained multiple injuries, including a broken leg and a broken hand, and had to have one leg amputated. According to a hospital spokesperson, as of Thursday, Reum was upgraded to fair condition and transferred to the hospital's inpatient rehabilitation program.
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"I'm now walker-bound with a wheelchair and I'm able to get around, which is amazing," he said. "There are so many things we take for granted in life. Now I can't take it for granted."
Reum recently expressed his gratitude in a Facebook video, saying he is overwhelmed with all the support he has received since his rescue.
"You guys have made something that would be so hard for a normal person to go through and you’ve showered me with love," he said. "You have shown me so much kindness. There’s no way I can ever start to repay you guys or say thank you enough."
