Fishermen Make Remarkable Discovery: Man Trapped in Truck for Nearly a Week After Crash Off Interstate 94

Two local fishermen in Northwest Indiana made a remarkable discovery on Tuesday when they stumbled upon a driver who had been trapped in his truck for nearly a week after it crashed off Interstate 94.

Mario Garcia and his son-in-law Nivardo De La Torre were out scouting for fishing holes while their wives were away when they found the man in a shallow creek beneath an I-94 bridge in the city of Portage at around 3:35 p.m. Initially believing him to be dead, the pair quickly realized he was alive and called the Porter County Dispatch Center at 3:45 p.m.

Glen Fifield, a state police official, said the driver was unable to tell them how long he had been trapped in the vehicle. Garcia and De La Torre said he was in a state of shock and had suffered minor injuries.

The driver was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Officials credited Garcia and De La Torre with saving the driver’s life, as their chance discovery of the crash site likely prevented a much worse outcome.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. However, the driver’s rescue serves as a reminder of the importance of being prepared for any situation while out on the roads.