Families get some answers about causes of fatal Ohio truck crash

It was just before seven in the morning on a cold Ohio morning in January of last year. The road was clear that Friday as people were driving on U.S. 50 to finish off their work weeks. On a twisting, hilly section of the highway, a 24,000-pound trailer came loose from the big rig pulling it.

The trailer loaded heavy with groceries slammed into oncoming traffic, crashing into a pair of pick-up trucks. The two family men driving the pick-ups were both killed that morning. Twenty months after the violent tragedy, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released documents stating that a trailer hitch company has agreed to recall hitches that can fail when truckers don’t follow coupling instructions.

The Alabama hitch manufacturer said that the hitch-locking mechanisms can sustain “cumulative damage” when truck drivers don’t follow proper coupling and maintenance procedures. The damage can result in lock failure.

According to the Associated Press, the company says the locks don’t fail when used and maintained properly, but it agreed to the recall to try to resolve the issue. NHTSA critics say once again the agency was slow to respond, struggling to analyze data and pinpoint problems.

Our Summit County readers might recall that the trucker in the fatal crash was charged with and convicted of vehicular manslaughter. He received a year’s probation and a 90-day license suspension as a result.

Killed in the crashes were a 43-year-old father of three children and a 39-year-old father of a single child. The company the trucker worked for is facing lawsuits in Clermont County. No matter what the outcome of the legal claims, those fathers will never return to their families and be able to provide needed emotional and financial support again.

We wish the families all the best in their pursuits of justice. At the law firm of Kisling, Nestico & Redick, we counsel and represent families in similar situations, fighting passionately and effectively to hold those responsible for your losses fully accountable. Please see our Truck Accidents Investigations page for more information about our Akron firm representing clients across Ohio.