(La Porte County, IN) - A teenage driver who was in the right place at the wrong time was airlifted to the hospital following an accident on US 421.

It happened Monday afternoon around 1:00 pm on US 421 near the Indiana Tollway. According to the La Porte County Sheriff’s Department, a northbound Toyota Yaris was waiting to make a left turn into the tollway entrance when it was rear-ended by a semi.

The driver of the semi, 55-year-old Joe Fowler of Valparaiso, told police his brakes locked up when he tried to stop. As Fowler tried to regain control of the semi, it veered into the oncoming lane, where it struck a southbound Nissan Rogue driven by 19-year-old Michaela Rush.

Rush was conscious at the scene, but was airlifted to South Bend Memorial for treatment of injuries. The two elderly occupants of the Yaris were unhurt.

A witness driving behind the semi told police he thought the truck began stopping too late to avoid a collision.