Turnpike lanes closed because of truck crash

9/15/2006

COLUMBIA, Ohio - Westbound lanes of the Ohio Turnpike were closed for about three hours and traffic backed up for about six miles in Williams County, about four miles west of the Indiana state line, after a semi tractor crash at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday.

A semi tractor pulling double trailers registered to Federal Express was stopped in traffic in the right lane near an interchange when another semi pulling a single trailer registered to Werner Enterprises failed to stop, struck the Federal Express trailers, and veered left into the median, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol's Swanton post.

Both vehicles were severely damaged, but neither driver nor their passengers suffered serious injuries. The driver of the semi that failed to stop, Shante L. Cofer, of Atlanta, was cited for failing to maintain assured clear distance ahead.