Driver of city truck appeared to have a medical emergency before crash

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Timothy Detzner, a Lafayette city employee driving an Engineering Department pickup truck, appeared to suffer a medical emergency while driving northbound on the Ninth Street hill Wednesday morning, local resident Julie Diggins said.

Police released Detzner's identity and confirmed what witnesses told the Journal & Courier.

The city-owned pickup truck was speeding northbound in the southbound lanes Wednesday, Diggins said.

"I opened the door and saw it and called 911," Diggins said, noting she called in the crash at 10:07 a.m.

A southbound van marked as belonging to the First Church of the Nazarene tried to swerve into the northbound lanes to avoid the truck, but was clipped in the front right corner by the city truck, Diggins said.

The van ended up on the right side of the southbound lane.

Julio Mendoza, a general contractor, was driving behind the van and towing a trailer with washers and dryers on it.

"He was coming so fast, hit (the van) and he hit the trailer on the corner," Mendoza said, explaining he swerved into the northbound lanes to avoid the city truck.

Mendoza's truck came to rest in the northbound lanes, and the collision knocked his trailer off the hitch. It came to rest in the northbound lanes.

The city truck was spun around facing southbound after the crash.

Detzner, 68, of Lafayette, was having labored breathing at the scene, police said when asked about another witnesses description of agonal breathing.

He was rushed to the hospital and was talking with police there.

It is not known what medical condition afflicted Detzner before the crash, police said.

Ninth Street was closed between South and Kossuth streets while police investigated the crash.

Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette Engineer truck's driver appeared to have a medical emergency