Jeffery S Eberly dies in fatal Portage car crash

Jeffery S Eberly dies in fatal Portage car crash

Fatal Portage car crash death of Jeffery S Eberly

An unfortunate event occurred on Tuesday afternoon involving multiple vehicles on U.S. Highway 20 near Douglas Drive. Court records indicate that a semi-truck driver, who did not possess a required commercial driver’s license (CDL), was cited for attempting an improper passing maneuver, leading to this fatal incident.

Responding emergency personnel arrived at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Douglas Drive around 1:25 p.m. on October 15, 2025. They encountered a scene involving significant damage. A white Freightliner semi-tractor pulling a refrigerated trailer had jackknifed across both westbound lanes. A black Subaru was found crushed on its driver’s side. The white Ram Sprinter van had been pushed off the road and collided with a sign for Clean Air Car Check.

The driver of the Subaru, identified by the Porter County Coroner as 54-year-old Jeffery S Eberly from Mishawaka, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The extensive damage from the collision necessitated a lengthy recovery operation.

Investigators secured surveillance video from a nearby business. This footage revealed the eastbound Ram Sprinter van had stopped in traffic. The white Freightliner then approached quickly from behind. The semi driver did not stop or move right into the available open lane. Instead, he crossed into the westbound lane to attempt passing the stopped van.

The video evidence showed the Freightliner striking the black Subaru from the rear, pushing it forward head-on into the opposing flow of traffic before the truck itself jackknifed and collided with the rear of the stopped Sprinter van, which was then thrown into the roadside signage.

The driver of the semi, identified as Borko Stankovic, a 41-year-old who owned the truck and the company Move RPM Inc., told police he only had a regular Illinois driver’s license marked with “Federal Limits Apply.” No record of the company Move RPM Inc. was found in federal DOT registries, confirming Stankovic was not authorized to operate the commercial motor vehicle.

Following the fatal crash, Stankovic was informed of Indiana’s Implied Consent Law and taken to Northwest Health Portage Hospital for a blood draw. Detectives determined that Stankovic was operating a commercial truck without proper licensing and made a reckless maneuver disregard training requirements for handling large vehicles on a 45 mph roadway.

On October 16, 2025, the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office filed formal charges against Stankovic. These charges included Reckless Homicide (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Recklessness (Level 5 Felony). Subsequently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement became involved, adding a detainer to Stankovic’s case while he awaits immigration proceedings.

The Portage Police Department, Indiana State Police Motor Carrier Enforcement Division, and the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office conducted the investigation.