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Ohio driver killed when hit by tractor-trailer on I-71

On Behalf of | May 5, 2015 | Car Accidents

An Ohio man lost his life when his work van was struck by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 71 on April 28. The accident happened around 9:30 a.m. in Warren County.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that a 51-year-old man was driving a commercial work van south on I-71 when a tractor-trailer behind him failed to slow down for a traffic backup and rear-ended him. The van was then pushed into another tractor-trailer in front of it, sandwiching the vehicle between the big rigs. A third tractor-trailer swerved to avoid the first collision, but it struck the other vehicles. The van driver, a Lebanon resident, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Warren County coroner. The tractor-trailer drivers, a 29-year-old Dayton man, a 53-year-old Mentor man and a 44-year-old man from Vero Beach, Florida, were not hurt in the incident.

All southbound lanes of I-71 were closed past Ohio 73 until approximately 4:30 p.m. as emergency crews investigated and cleared the scene. The Lebanon Highway Patrol Post continues to investigate the crash.

Commercial truck drivers are expected to remain attentive to road conditions and other motorists at all times in order to avoid deadly accidents. If police determine that a truck driver caused an accident due to distracted driving, reckless driving or impaired driving, the driver could face civil lawsuits in addition to criminal charges. With the help of a lawyer, the deceased victim’s family could file a wrongful death lawsuit against the truck driver and the trucking company employer. Damages that are often sought in these types of actions include those arising out of the loss of support and companionship of the decedent.

Source: Cincinnati.com, “Victim identified in fatal I-71 crash near Wilmington,” Keith BieryGolick, April 26, 2015

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