Crash injures 2 truckers, closes Rt. 53 for 9 hours

4/15/2005

PORT CLINTON - Two men were hurt, one seriously, when their tractor trailers collided head-on yesterday on State Rt. 53 about four miles southwest of here, closing the road for more than nine hours, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

Driver Christopher S. Friedhoff, 24, of Van Wert, Ohio, who was trapped in the wreckage for a time, and Ryan W. Klucker, 48, of Frisco, Texas, the other driver, were flown by medical helicopter to Medical College of Ohio Hospitals, Toledo.

Mr. Friedhoff was admitted in serious condition, Mr. Klucker in good condition, a hospital spokesman said.

The Friedhoff semi, which was hauling more than 200 pigs, was northbound on Route 53 south of Little Portage East Road in Ottawa County's Bay Township about 6:50 a.m. when it went left of center into the path of the southbound Klucker semi, troopers at the patrol's Sandusky post said.

The Klucker semi was hauling drywall products.

Some of the pigs in the Friedhoff semi were killed in the accident.

The highway was reopened to traffic at 4:10 p.m., troopers said.