VINTON CO., OH (WCMH)–The Ohio State Highway Patrol says four people are dead after a crash at the intersection of S.R. 93 and S.R. 56 in northern Vinton County.
Troopers at the Jackson Patrol Post say a garbage truck and a Toyota Corolla collided around 1:50 p.m. The Corolla allegedly was headed west on S.R. 56, did not yield at the stop sign, and collided with the Rumpke-owned garbage truck. The Corolla rotated and traveled off the roadway, hitting a guardrail on the southwest side of the intersection and coming to rest.
All four occupants of the Corolla suffered fatal injuries. Vinton Co. Coroner Rebecca Huston said the victims are all from the same family–a 55-year-old woman, her two teenage children, and her 57-year-old sister.
Roy Storms, a lifelong resident of Vinton County, was among the first witnesses to the tragic scene. “It’s a really dangerous intersection. There have been a lot of people killed at this intersection,” he said.
Richard Paskins, who lives on State Route 56, says the state of Ohio has done tons of work to make this intersection safer.
“They changed this hillside coming down. They spent months cutting the ground up and stuff and changing that. They’ve had State Patrol in here making people slow down.”
Troopers are not yet releasing the names of those involved; the Patrol says all involved were wearing their seat belts. The truck driver was uninjured.
Rumpke spokesman Jonathan Kissell says the his driver was heading south on S.R. 93..which has the right of way. The driver was dazed, but not injured, he said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved,” he said. “We worked with the Highway Patrol to conduct an investigation, gather as much information as we can to try and piece together what occurred.”
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