Student athlete from Indiana was airlifted

A student athlete from Indiana was airlifted to the hospital after a box truck struck a minibus transporting the New Prairie High School Baseball team to their game against Hobart yesterday afternoon. La Porte County Deputies report they were called to a four vehicle crash involving the box truck, a commercial vehicle, and two New Prairie Minibuses just after 3:00 at the intersection of US 20 and Fail Road. Before the accident, the box truck was reportedly seen driving recklessly going westbound on State Road 2, but when St. Jospeh County police tried to pull the truck over, it refused to stop, and officers called off the pursuit at County Road 900 East. Two coaches and seven students were injured in the crash, with one being airlifted to a regional hospital. La Porte county deputies arrested the driver of the box truck, 41-year-old Shawn W.R. Akison of Romeoville, on the charge of Criminal Recklessness. Deputies continue to investigate.