Interstate 70 was shut down for nearly five hours Friday night after police discovered one of the occupants of a disabled semi had been stabbed, and now a man faces a charge of attempted murder.
The investigation began when Wayne County Communications received a report of a disabled semi located west of the 156 mile-marker on eastbound I-70.
The semi was reported to be in the right lane with its flashers on.
Wayne County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at 6:09 p.m. and arrived on scene, locating the semi at about the 154 mile-marker.
The initial deputy made contact with the occupants of the semi and discovered one of the men was suffering from an apparent stab wound, according to a press release from Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter.
The unidentified male victim was taken to Reid Health in Richmond by ambulance and later transferred to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. Retter said Saturday morning that the victim, whose identity remains unknown, underwent surgery as a result of his wounds and is still at Miami Valley Hospital.
Another occupant of the semi, Pavel Nery-Gonzalez, 47, of Miami, Florida, was taken into custody in relation to the investigation. As of Saturday morning, Nery-Gonzalez now faces a charge of attempted murder, which is a Level 1 felony.
Investigators from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office processed the scene. During that time, both lanes of eastbound I-70 were closed. The semi was later removed and secured for additional crime scene processing.
I-70 East was closed just less than five hours during the initial investigation. Efforts were made to contact the trucking company, but were unsuccessful.
Retter said an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Additional information will be released once it becomes available.
Retter thanked Richmond Fire Department, Indiana State Police, Richmond Police Department, Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and Indiana Department of Transportation for their assistance in the response, investigation and control of the situation.
By Millicent Martin Emery