SOUTH BEND | A volunteer firefighter from Wanatah died Wednesday after he and a fellow firefighter were broadsided Sunday by a semi on U.S. 30.
Michael Hendrixson, 35, died about 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Hospital in South Bend after his life support was turned off and his organs harvested for donation, said St. Joseph County Deputy Coroner Randy Magdalinski.
According to LaPorte County Sheriff's Department, Hendrixson was a passenger in a pickup truck owned and operated by Nicholas Poort, 27.
They were southbound on U.S. 421 and crossing U.S. 30 when struck by a westbound semi about 7 a.m. on Sunday, authorities said.
The truck driver, Trevor Molnar, 39, of Minooka, Ill., told investigators he could not see the color of the traffic signal due to the glare from the sun.
He was cited for disregarding a traffic signal.
Poort was treated for injuries and released from Porter Regional Hospital.
Hendrixson and Poort served together on the Cass-Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Department.
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