What happened
A driver swerved to avoid a deer on Interstate 69 near mile marker 337 outside Waterloo in DeKalb County at about 2:13 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026. According to KPC Media's The Star[1], the vehicle struck the cable median barrier and became entangled in the cables.
The Star reported that the vehicle was a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze and was a total loss. The driver, a 29-year-old Fort Wayne man, was treated for minor pain and stiffness to his head, back, and lower extremities and was transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office investigated, according to The Star. The Waterloo Fire Department, Parkview EMS, DeKalb Central Communications, and Noel's Towing also responded. No citations were reported, and no arrests were made. The reporting does not suggest that anyone has a claim against the driver.
What accident victims should do next
The safety guidance discussed in the report is plain: brake firmly, remain in your lane, and avoid swerving when possible. Cable median barriers are intended to catch vehicles that enter a median and help prevent them from reaching opposing traffic.
If you are hurt in a similar crash, get evaluated even when the injury initially feels minor. Keep the crash report number, medical records, insurance documents, and photographs of the vehicle before it leaves the tow yard. The firm's guide to steps after a car accident explains how to organize the early information.
Notify your insurer promptly and review the policy carefully. Collision coverage and medical payments coverage may apply without regard to fault, while comprehensive coverage generally applies when a vehicle strikes an animal. If another vehicle contributed but cannot be identified, policy-specific uninsured motorist issues may also arise. You can read more about uninsured and underinsured accident claims.
Why location matters in an Indiana injury claim
The crash happened on I-69 near mile marker 337 outside Waterloo in DeKalb County. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office investigated and would ordinarily be the agency from which to request the crash report. A police report is not a final decision about civil responsibility. The firm's Indiana crash report guide explains the usual process for obtaining a report.
Interstate 69 is a state highway, and the cable median barrier is state infrastructure maintained by the Indiana Department of Transportation. Nothing in the reporting suggests that the barrier was defective or improperly maintained.
If evidence eventually supports a claim against the state, the Indiana Tort Claims Act requires written notice before a lawsuit may be filed. Indiana Code 34-13-3-6[2] provides a 270-day notice period for claims against the state. Indiana Code 34-13-3-8[3] provides a 180-day period for claims against a city, county, town, or other political subdivision. Those notice periods are shorter than the usual filing deadline. More information is available in the firm's guide to Indiana government tort claim notices.
Indiana's Comparative Fault Act also matters. Under Indiana Code 34-51-2-6[4], an injured person whose fault is greater than 50 percent cannot recover from another private party. Otherwise, the recovery is reduced by that person's percentage of fault. In a single-vehicle deer-avoidance crash, the driver's own insurance coverage may be the practical source of payment unless evidence shows that another party contributed.
Indiana insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under Indiana Code 27-7-5-2[5]. Depending on the policy, that coverage may matter if another vehicle contributed to an avoidance crash and was uninsured or could not be identified.
Most Indiana personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury under Indiana Code 34-11-2-4[6]. For this September 25, 2026 crash, that general deadline would be September 25, 2028. An insurance claim does not pause the deadline.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office, LLC is a Fort Wayne personal injury firm founded by attorney Chad E. Delventhal in 2009. The firm handles Indiana injury claims involving interstate crashes, single-vehicle crashes, and incidents in which another vehicle or an unidentified driver may have contributed.
Delventhal Law Office can obtain the available crash report, review uninsured and underinsured motorist and medical payments coverage, evaluate whether another party may share responsibility, and explain the filing and notice deadlines. You can request a free case evaluation.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
