Authorities ID Paulding Co. crash victim

10/29/2013
BLADE STAFF

ANTWERP, Ohio -- Authorities have identified Andrew Nowacki of Kitchener, Ont., as the man who was killed when two tractor-trailer rigs collided early today on U.S. 24 near this Paulding County community, closing the westbound lanes for about 12 hours, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

Mr. Nowacki, 53, the driver of one of the semis, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the patrol's Van Wert post.

Mr. Nowacki was driving west on U.S. 24 near the Indiana line about 12:50 a.m. when his vehicle struck another semi, which was parked on the right shoulder of the westbound lanes, partially in the roadway, according to the patrol's Van Wert post.

The impact ruptured the fuel tank of the moving semi, causing both vehicles to ignite, troopers said.

Czeslaw Szotek, also 53, of Mississauga, Ont., the driver of the parked semi, was outside of the vehicle at the time and suffered only minor injuries, according to the patrol.

Traffic on the road returned to normal about 1:30 p.m.

The crash remains under investigation.

Antwerp is about 85 miles southwest of Toledo.