A chain reaction fatal crash this morning on northbound I-75 in Hancock County shut down the interstate for more than nine hours this morning.
The Findlay Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol reports that 55-year-old Robert Borer Jr. of Toledo was killed in the crash. He was driving a semi that was stopped on the road and was rear-ended, pushing his rig into another semi and a car.
The post says the crash happened around 2:44 a.m. and started with a traffic back-up of about four miles because of a vehicle fire. In all, 4 commercial semis and one car were involved. One trucker and the car driver had minor injuries and were taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment. The crash remains under investigation.
Press Release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol: FINDLAY – The Findlay Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash on Interstate 75 northbound, north of state Route 235 in Eagle Township. The crash occurred at approximately 2:44 a.m. in the traffic backup from a vehicle fire.
The preliminary investigation showed traffic was stopped on I-75 because of a vehicle fire ahead. Traffic was backed up approximately four miles when a Peterbilt semi tractor-trailer combination, operated by Jagdeep Singh Chohan, 33, Brampton, Ont., struck the rear of a stopped Mack tanker truck, operated by Robert A. Borer Jr., 55, Toledo. The impact pushed the tanker truck forward causing it to strike an International semi tractor-trailer combination, operated by Brandon L. Davis, 38, Charlestown, Ind., and a Buick sedan, operated by Lorenzo K. Buckingham, 19, Toledo. The Buick was pushed into the center median where it came to rest.
A short time later, a Kenworth semi tractor-trailer combination, operated by James L. Tolbert, 56, Flint, Mich., swerved to avoid the multiple vehicles that were disabled in the roadway, running off the side of the roadway, where it struck the Buick before coming to rest in the median. The impact caused a steel coil to come loose from the Kenworth trailer, landing on the back of the Buick.
Borer Jr. suffered fatal injuries at the scene. Chohan and Buckingham sustained minor injuries and were both transported to Blanchard Valley Hospital.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Southwestern Hancock Joint Fire District, Hancock County Emergency Management Agency, Hancock County Coroner’s Office, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, HANCO Emergency Medical Services, Liberty Township Fire Department, Dick’s Towing Service, Ed’s 24 Hour Service and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The northbound lanes of I-75 were shut down for more than nine hours and have since reopened.
The crash remains under investigation.
