Portage, IN – A Portage man was critically injured late Saturday after crashing his vehicle into a gas station pump.
Police said the crash occurred at 11:40 p.m. in the 6000 block of Central Avenue. The driver’s black 2006 Jeep Cherokee flipped onto its side and came to rest on the City Hall lawn.
Emergency responders found the 29-year-old man conscious but trapped inside the vehicle. Fire personnel extricated him, and he was taken to an Illinois trauma center with life-threatening injuries. Officials reported he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Investigators believe the vehicle was traveling westbound at high speed when it left the roadway. It struck the gas pump located at Gas Co., 6090 Central Avenue, causing significant damage.
Police said alcohol consumption, excessive speed, and poor weather likely contributed to the crash. A medical helicopter was requested but unable to fly due to weather conditions. Toxicology results are pending, and criminal charges may follow.
The crash remains under investigation as authorities work to determine all factors involved.
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