FORT WAYNE, INDIANA — Gjergj Degaj, the 70-year-old Michigan truck driver charged with two counts of reckless homicide and one count of criminal recklessness after his semi slammed into five stopped vehicles near mile marker 295 on southbound I-69 in Allen County on June 3, killing a 15-year-old driver’s education student and a 70-year-old man and halting traffic for approximately seven hours, appeared in Allen Superior Court Friday for his initial hearing. He also now faces a civil negligence lawsuit filed by two men injured in the same crash.
The lawsuit was filed July 22 by Daniel L. Blankenship and Daniel B. Blankenship, who were involved in the crash but are not named in the criminal charging documents. The suit names both Degaj and Auto Moto Transport LLC, the company Degaj was affiliated with at the time of the crash. The plaintiffs claim they suffered physical and mental pain and suffering, lost wages, property damage, and a diminished quality of life. They are seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage, and are requesting a jury trial. A case management conference is scheduled for October 22.
What the Criminal Case Established
A certified crash reconstructionist determined Degaj was traveling 73 mph in a clearly posted 55 mph construction zone and, without ever touching his brakes, struck five stopped vehicles. Three semi-trucks and three passenger vehicles were involved in total. Two people were killed at the scene and multiple others were trapped or seriously injured.
Drew Saddington, 15, a Homestead High School student, was behind the wheel during a driver’s education session and was killed. His driving instructor was seriously injured. Bradley Maller, 70, of Kokomo, was killed in his passenger van. The Allen County Coroner’s Office identified both victims.
Allen County’s high-tech crime unit analyzed a Samsung tablet found in Degaj’s semi and determined YouTube was in focus before the crash. Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement found his CDL was not valid at the time. A hospital interview determined his English proficiency was insufficient to understand the questions investigators were asking.
Degaj was booked into the Allen County Jail Wednesday. The crash near mile marker 295 halted southbound I-69 traffic for approximately seven hours.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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