2023 — Nov 14, five-vehicle chain-reaction-crash when semi hits SUV, I-70, Etna Twp, OH–6
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard 12-8-2023 for upload to: https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–6 Fox19Now, Cincinnati, OH. “Crash report details new information in Ohio crash…” 11-28-2023.
–6 NBC News. “At least 6 dead after Ohio chair-reaction crash involving a bus…” 11-15-2023.
–3 Tuscarawas Valley Local School District chartered bus
–1 John W. Mosely, 18
–1 Katelyn N. Owens, 15
–1 Jeffery D. Worrell, 18
–3 Passengers in private vehicle
–1 Kristy Gaynor, 39
–1 Dave Kennat, 56
–1 Shannon Wigfield, 45
Narrative Information
Nov 15, NBC News: “At least six people were killed and 18 others were injured Tuesday in a crash on an Ohio interstate between multiple vehicles and a bus carrying school students, authorities said. Shortly after 9 a.m., two commercial vehicles including the bus, a semitrailer and two passenger vehicles were involved in what was described as a “chain-reaction crash,” the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. At least three vehicles burst into flames. The semitrailer rear-ended a charter bus carrying students and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District who were heading to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus, the district said on Facebook.
“Three passengers on the bus were pronounced dead at the scene. The state Highway Patrol identified them as John W. Mosely, 18; Jeffery D. Worrell, 18, and Katelyn N. Owens, 15.
“All three passengers in another vehicle in the collision were killed, according to the agency. They are Dave Kennat, 56, Kristy Gaynor, 39, and Shannon Wigfield, 45. All six who died were from Ohio.
“Local hospitals are treating 15 students and the bus driver. The remaining students were taken to what authorities called a “reunification site.”….
“The crash involved five vehicles on Interstate 70 West in Licking County, said Lt. Nate Dennis, a spokesperson for the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
“A total of 57 people were onboard, said Licking County Emergency Management Agency Director Sean Grady, who confirmed the number of deaths and injuries in an interview.” (NBC News. “At least 6 dead after Ohio chair-reaction crash involving a bus carrying students.” 11-15-2023.)
Nov 15, News-Herald, Willoughby, OH: “Etna, Ohio (AP) – A charter bus filled with high school students was rear-ended by a semitruck on an Ohio highway Tuesday morning, leaving six people dead and 18 injured, officials said.
“Five vehicles were involved in the crash, including a Pioneer Trails charter bus carrying students and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio, said Licking County Emergency Management Agency Director Sean Grady….
“All of the vehicles were traveling westbound on Interstate 70 in Licking County, about 26 miles east of Columbus, about 9 a.m. when the chain-reaction crash happened. At least three vehicles subsequently caught fire, the highway patrol said. The cause of the crash is under investigation. A team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators was headed to the scene….
“All three people in one of the passenger vehicles involved — a teacher and two parent chaperones for the student trip — were also pronounced dead at the scene. They were identified as high school teacher Dave Kennat, 56, of Navarre; Kristy Gaynor, 39, of Zoar, and Shannon Wigfield, 45, of Bolivar….” (Associated Press. “Ohio interstate crash involving busload of high school students leaves 6 dead, 18 injured.” News-Herald, Willoughby, OH, 11-15-2023.)
Nov 15, Akron Beacon Journal: “….Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools, an Ohio school district in Zoarville, said late Tuesday morning that the bus was carrying students and chaperones on their way to the last day of the Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus. Some of the students on the bus were band members who were going to perform at the OSBA conference….
“….The Highway Patrol said the crash occurred at 8:52 a.m. and by shortly after 9 a.m. dozens of emergency personnel from across Licking County and eastern Franklin County responded to the area. From images of the scene, it appeared a tractor-trailer hit a chartered bus from behind and burst into flames. The patrol said those two vehicles and a third among the five vehicles involved caught fire….
“The bus involved in the crash was a commercial charter from Pioneer Trails, a family-owned bus business based in Millersburg in Holmes County…. According to U.S. Department of Transportation inspections, the company has had one other crash involving an injury in the last 24 months. The company received a satisfactory rating, meaning records indicate no evidence of substantial noncompliance with safety requirements.
“Mid State Systems, based in Hebron, Licking County, was identified by authorities as the owner of the tractor-trailer that appeared to collide with the rear of the charter bus during the crash. U.S. Department of Transportation records show no incidents involving the firm going back to 2017….” (Akron Beacon Journal, OH. “What we know about fiery I-70 crash in Licking County that killed 6, injured 18.” 11-14-2023, updated 11-15-2023.)
Nov 16, Columbus Dispatch: “The National Transportation Safety Board retrieved electronic control modules, more commonly called “black boxes,” from some of the five vehicles involved in a deadly crash Tuesday on Interstate 70 west in Licking County that killed six people, the agency announced Wednesday afternoon in Columbus. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said there is also some external video footage that may have come from other vehicles not involved in the fiery crash, which the Ohio State Highway Patrol said was a chain-reaction crash that happened at 8:52 a.m. in the backup of a crash about an hour earlier and further west on I-70 in Franklin County….
“Homendy said the order of the five vehicles involved in the crash was a tractor-trailer; a red SUV; the charter bus with students, teachers and chaperones from Tuscarawas Valley schools; another SUV carrying three other chaperones accompanying the bus; and a tractor-trailer.
“The Highway Patrol issued an update just before the start of the NTSB briefing Wednesday afternoon that identified the drivers and more details about the crash.
“A commercial vehicle driven by Brandon Marchal, 37, of Wapakoneta, and owned by Wapakoneta-based G.A. Wintzer & Son, a manufacturer of farm and pet feed ingredients, oils and biofuels, was hit.
“The red SUV, driven by Robert Wolverton, 75, of Heath, also was hit.
“The charter bus, operated by Millersburg-based Pioneer Trails bus lines, was driven by Donald Wagler, 65, of Hartville, who was still hospitalized Wednesday. Homendy credited Wagler with getting the door open quickly so occupants could escape before the fire eliminated the power source after the crash.
“The driver of the tractor-trailer belonging to Mid State Systems, based in Hebron, Licking County, which caught fire after hitting the SUV of the chaperones and the rear of the bus, was driven by Jacob McDonald, 60, of Zanesville, the patrol said….” (Columbus Dispatch {Max Filby}, OH. “NTSB recovers ‘black boxes’ from some of five vehicles involved in deadly crash on I-70.” 11-15-2023, updated 11-16-2023.)
Nov 28, Fox 19, Cincinnati: “Etna, Ohio (WXIX) – Ohio State Highway Patrol found one vehicle was following too closely before the ensuing chain reaction crash killed six people and injured 18. Five vehicles were involved in the crash that happened around 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 14 on Interstate 70 in Licking County. OSP’s report concludes it was a chain reaction crash between two semis, two SUVs and a Pioneer Trails charter bus carrying 54 students and chaperones.
“All of the vehicles were going westbound on the interstate when four of the five drivers had to slow down for traffic, the crash report shows. One semi, owned by a Hebron, Ohio company, hit the back of a Nissan Murano SUV, which caused the Nissan to hit the rear of the charter bus filled with students and adults, according to OSP’s findings. The semi from Hebron, Ohio, then hit the Pioneer Trails bus after “overriding” the Nissan Murano, the crash report explains. The bus was pushed into the back of a different SUV, a Toyota Highlander, OSP determined. The Highlander then hit a semi operating out of a Wapakoneta, Ohio-based business, the crash report shows. The Toyota SUV spun into the left lane and then, the charter bus crashed into the back of the semi from Wapakoneta, according to OSP.
“When troopers wrote the crash report, only the semi owned by the Hebron, Ohio business was marked for a violation contributing to the crash. The semi was found to be following too closely, according to the crash report. No one has been cited or arrested in connection with the crash….” (Fox19Now, Cincinnati, OH. “Crash report details new information in Ohio crash that killed 3 students, 3 adults.” 11-28-2023.)
Sources
Akron Beacon Journal, OH. “What we know about fiery I-70 crash in Licking County that killed 6, injured 18.” 11-14-2023, updated 11-15-2023. Accessed 11-15-2023 at: https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/crime/2023/11/14/everything-we-know-about-the-licking-county-bus-semi-crash-that-killed-3/71579291007/
Associated Press. “Ohio interstate crash involving busload of high school students leaves 6 dead, 18 injured.” News-Herald, Willoughby, OH, 11-15-2023. Accessed 11-15-2023 at: https://www.news-herald.com/2023/11/15/3-killed-15-taken-to-hospital-when-semi-crashes-into-bus-carrying-students-on-ohio-highway-emergency-official-says/
Columbus Dispatch {Max Filby}, OH. “NTSB recovers ‘black boxes’ from some of five vehicles involved in deadly crash on I-70.” 11-15-2023, updated 11-16-2023. Accessed 11-16-2023 at: https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2023/11/15/ntsb-investigating-fiery-crash-on-i-70-public-briefing-set-for-4-p-m/71592621007/
Fox19Now, Cincinnati, OH. “Crash report details new information in Ohio crash that killed 3 students, 3 adults.” 11-28-2023. Accessed 12-8-2023 at: https://www.fox19.com/2023/11/28/crash-report-details-new-information-ohio-crash-that-killed-3-students-3-adults/
NBC News. “At least 6 dead after Ohio chair-reaction crash involving a bus carrying students.” 11-15-2023. Accessed 11-15-2023 at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/least-3-dead-15-injured-semitrailer-crashes-bus-carrying-students-ohio-rcna125111