West Michigan Woman Trapped By Her Vehicle At Indiana Tollbooth Dies

An Allegan County woman who was severely injured earlier this month after being crushed by her own vehicle at a tollbooth in Indiana has reportedly died from her injuries. WWMT reports 40-year-old Luciana Ortiz of Otsego died several days after the horrific accident back on December 8th.

She had apparently dropped her debit card while trying to pay at a tollbooth in Hammond near the Indiana-Illinois state line. Investigators say that when Ortiz opened her door to pick up the card, her SUV, still in gear, lurched forward as she stuck her leg out. The vehicle slowly wedged Ortiz against the tollgate. She lost consciousness and wasn’t able to be rescued until a state trooper came along and discovered the scene.

Ortiz was airlifted to a suburban Chicago hospital in critical condition and it hasn’t be reported if she ever regained consciousness. Investigators say autopsy reports are still pending.