ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — According to Indiana State Police, a four vehicle crash at the 84 mile marker on the Indiana Toll Road began with a call of an erratic driver.

Around 7:26 p.m. on June 17, 2018, Indiana State Troopers were responding to a call about truck driving erratically, going east near the 83 mile marker.  Police say the driver, 32 year-old Chintan Patel South Bend, turned around in the area of the 88 mile marker and began to drive westbound in the eastbound lanes.

Just after 7:30 p.m. Indiana State Police Dispatch received several reports of a crash involving multiple vehicles at the 84 mile marker eastbound.

A preliminary investigation shows the driver going the wrong way, was traveling westbound in the eastbound passing lane when it collided with another vehicle driven by 46 year-old Octavius Rice of Painesville, Ohio.

Rice then collided a vehicle driven by 30 year-old Ivan Radov of Berrien Springs, Michigan. Radov was traveling in the right lane.

Another vehicle driving eastbound swerved to the left to avoid the initial crash and lost control. That vehicle went through the center median, hitting crash barrels, before coming to a final rest in the westbound passing lane. The driver of that car was identified as 26 year-old Jasmine White of Bowling Green, Ohio. White was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

After being hit head-on by the vehicle driving the wrong way, the vehicle Rice was driving came to a rest in the center median. Passing motorists stopped to roll the vehicle over. Those passing drivers and first responders used fire extinguishers to put out a fire in the engine.

The front seat passenger of the vehicle Rice was driving was identified as 42 year old Denita Rice of Painesville. She was pronounced dead when medics arrived. Also inside the vehicle was one year old Bryson Rice. He was also pronounced dead when medics arrived.

12 year old Makayla Lanier, of Painesville was taken to a hospital where she later died.

10 year old Nila Watkins of Painesville, was taken to a hospital and later flown to a Children’s Hospital with serious injuries. Octavius Rice was taken to Memorial Hospital with serious injuries.

Radov did not suffer any injuries.

Patel had to be extricated and a hospital with serious life-threatening injuries.

Both westbound and eastbound lanes were closed for crash investigation and clean up.

Alcohol is suspected as a factor in this crash.

Family of the deceased have been notified.

This is an ongoing investigation.