On Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m., troopers from the Fort Wayne Post responded to a report of a personal injury vehicle crash on I-69 near the 283 mile marker south of Markle. Arriving on scene, troopers found a 2002 silver Porsche passenger vehicle crashed into the center median cable barriers. The driver, Michael D. Tuffs, 60, of Fort Wayne, was found unresponsive inside the damaged Porsche suffering apparent fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Huntington County Coroner.

Senior Trooper Bryan Rumple’s preliminary investigation revealed that several witnesses observed the silver Porsche incur a left rear tire blowout while traveling in the southbound left lane of I-69. After the blowout the Porsche lost control and impacted the rear of a southbound semi-tractor trailer. This impact then sent the Porsche off road, crashing into the cable barrier system down in the center grass median.

The involved 2019 Freightliner semi-tractor/trailer was found parked along the interstate about a quarter mile south of the crash, where the driver Christopher Posey, 60, of Elwood, was waiting for officers. Posey was not injured, and his vehicle only sustained damage to one of the rear tandem tires.

At this time the tire failure is believed to be the only contributing factor in this crash, however the crash remains an active investigation with the Indiana State Police and the Huntington County Coroner’s office.

Notifications were made to the deceased’s family by the Huntington County Coroner.

Senior Trooper Rumple was assisted at the scene by several troopers from the Fort Wayne Post, Huntington County Sheriff’s Department, Markle PD, Warren PD, Indiana DNR, Parkview EMS, Markle Fire Department, and A-Plus Towing Service.