Semi sideswipes car, driver injured

February 17, 2011

COLUMBIA CITY — A Fort Wayne man escaped serious injury Wednesday when he was side-swiped by a semi tractor-trailer on U.S. 30 west of Columbia City.
According to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Donald Gotsch, 55, of Fort Wayne, was traveling east on U.S. 30 near County Road 300 East when a semi tractor-trailer driven by Jason Roberts, 37, of Marble Hill, Mo. changed lanes and shoved Gotsch’s vehicle into the guardrail.
Police said the two vehicles continued eastbound when Gotsch’s vehicle became free of the semi and crossed both eastbound lanes, traveled through the median and into the westbound lanes before heading back into the median where it came to a stop.
Gotsch complained of shoulder pain at the scene and was transported to Parkview Hospital North in Fort Wayne.
Roberts was uninjured.
Police estimate the crash caused $7,000 damage to Roberts’ semi while Gotsch’s car received $10,000 in damages.