Tribune staff reports

An e-cigarette that malfunctioned and exploded played a role in a wreck Tuesday on Interstate 65 in southern Jackson County.

That wreck near the Scott County line left Christian Starasinich, 45, of Orlando, Florida, with facial injuries and hospitalized in Louisville, Kentucky.

Starasinich was driving his Freightliner north on the interstate near the 35½-mile marker when the incident occurred at about noon, according to a report from Sgt. Brian Wilson with the Indiana State Police.

Troopers from both the Sellersburg and Versailles posts responded, and evidence they gathered at the scene indicated the electronic cigarette Starasinich was using had malfunctioned and exploded, Wilson said.

When that happened, Starasinich sustained injuries to his face and was unable to control the truck, which left the right side of the roadway and hit a guardrail before coming to a stop, Wilson said.

It is believed the injuries he sustained were a result of the device malfunctioning and not from the crash, Wilson said.

His condition is unknown at this time.

Traffic was slowed in the area for about two hours while the crash was cleaned up.

Wilson was assisted by personnel with Crothersville-Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department, Scott County Emergency Medical Services, Seymour Mack Wrecker, 31 Wrecker Service and the Indiana Department of Transportation.