Mike Heminger, of Crown Point, was heading east around the Indiana 51 curve in front of Hobart Joan Martin Elementary School Monday afternoon when he said his entire field of vision was filled by a tree.
“Then the air bags went off,” said Heminger, a food salesman who was heading to Montego Bay restaurant on Main Street at about 4:30 p.m.
The tree snapped, landing on Heminger’s white sedan and crushing its hood. He was uninjured. His wife came to pick him up as Hobart police and fire departments personnel responded to the accident that came during the height of Monday’s thunderstorm.
The downed tree blocked Indiana 51 for at least two hours.
The storm roared across Northwest Indiana, taking out power and knocking trees down in its wake.
–Carole Carlson
