About an hour after a driver lost control of his tractor-trailer and caused two other semis to jackknife on Interstate 70, another semi failed to brake in time and hit the vehicle in front of it, causing a chain-reaction crash. The Newark Advocate reported on December 20, 2011, that the crashes closed I-70 for several hours but nobody was seriously injured.
The first crash occurred when Aaron Stanley lost control of his eastbound tractor-trailer and went into the median, rolling onto its side and spewing debris into the westbound lanes. Ohio Highway Patrol Lieutenant Darrin Blosser told the Advocate that mud, water and rocks caused two other westbound semis to jackknife, with one driver injured after debris went through his window. Stanley was cited for failure to maintain control and a seat belt violation, according to the Advocate.
The crash stopped westbound traffic, and 42-year-old semi driver Damon Wilson was unable to brake in time, striking a Ford Escape which then hit a Mercury Sable before sliding into a ditch, Blosser told the Advocate. The Sable also struck a Pontiac G6 which was then propelled sideways and broadsided a Jeep Cherokee and a Chevrolet van. Blosser told the Advocate that Wilson is at fault for the crash but had not been cited yet.
West Licking Joint Fire District Battalion Chief Tom Bingham told the Advocate that it is not uncommon to have secondary accidents after shutting down I-70, but he also said he was grateful no one was seriously injured. “It’s a very fortunate night for what could have been,” Bingham said.
Indeed, when this many vehicles are involved in a pair of truck accidents like these, the fact that all drivers and passengers involved avoided significant harm is of some comfort. However, two semi drivers have been blamed and the reports seem to indicate that speed may have been a contributing factor in both. Especially during the winter season when road conditions will only worsen, it is even more critical that the drivers of tractor-trailers be mindful of how snow or sleet can affect their vehicles’ braking ability.
Have you ever been involved in a chain-reaction crash? Were you able to walk away without an injury?
Moore Law Firm – Cincinnati truck accident attorneys
If you have been injured or have lost a loved one as a result of another person's negligence, you deserve to be fully compensated for your losses. The simple fact is that you should not be forced to pay the price for another person's careless or reckless actions.