(Merrillville, IN) - A Michigan City woman was seriously injured in a five-car collision on I-65.

It happened Monday afternoon around 3:45 p.m. just north of Merrillville. According to State Police, a distracted driver did not notice backed-up traffic in front of him and plowed into the traffic jam. A Chevy Malibu driven by an unidentified 40-year-old Michigan City woman took the brunt of the impact. Three other cars were struck in the chain reaction.

The woman was extricated by firefighters and airlifted to a Chicago Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Other drivers involved were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Alllanes of I-65 were briefly closed for the landing of the medical helicopter. Southbound lanes remained closed for several hours for cleanup. Neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected to be factors in this crash.