Two major truck accidents caused huge problems for Cleveland commuters on Monday. The accidents occurred on Interstate 271 and the Ohio Turnpike, resulting in one driver’s death, two closed highways and hundreds of stranded commuters stuck in traffic.
The crash on I-80, which occurred in Streetsboro, involved a Mack truck hauling three trailers that struck the rear of a Ford Focus driven by Susan Slattery, 47, of Maryland. The collision caused the Focus to hit a freight truck driven by Jonathan Wiedman and then four more vehicles before slamming into a concrete barrier. Debris from the car struck a fifth vehicle during the crash.
As a result of the truck accident, Slattery’s vehicle caught fire and was engulfed in flames. Slattery was pronounced dead on the scene. Also in the car with Slattery at the time of the crash were her two sons, Peter, 16, and Matthew, 12, who were flown to Akron Children’s Hospital where they were admitted in critical condition Monday night.
No additional people were injured in this 5-vehicle crash. All three eastbound lanes of the Ohio Turnpike were closed for two hours. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is currently investigating this truck accident. According to reports, the truck that struck Slattery’s vehicle and caused the crash was being driven by 48-year-old Douglas Bouch. Criminal charges are pending the Portage County prosecutor’s review.
Only about an hour after the crash detailed above, two cars collided on I-271 in Oakwood just north of the Alexander Road overpass. More about this crash in our next blog post later this week…
Source: Cleveland.com “Truck accidents on I-271 and I-80 cause major jams, kill a Maryland mother” 08/17/2010