Six People Dead in Ohio Highway Crash: Victim Names Revealed

Accident – Death – Obituary News : **Tragic Ohio Highway Crash Leaves Six Dead and Several Injured**

ETNA, Ohio (AP) — A team from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is set to commence investigations on Wednesday at the site of a horrifying highway crash in Ohio. The crash involved a charter bus carrying high school students, resulting in the tragic deaths of six people and leaving 18 others injured.

The NTSB Chairwoman, Jennifer Homendy, revealed that the team would be conducting a thorough examination of the five vehicles involved in the incident on westbound Interstate 70 in Licking County, located approximately 26 miles (42 kilometers) east of Columbus. Homendy estimated that the team would remain in the area for about five to seven days, with a preliminary report expected to be released in the coming weeks.

According to Homendy, there is conflicting information surrounding the sequence of events that led to the chain-reaction crash, which also involved an SUV and a semitruck. The Pioneer Trails charter bus was transporting students and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that three passengers on the bus, which was carrying 54 students and chaperones along with the driver, were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims were identified as John W. Mosely, 18, of Mineral City; Jeffery D. Worrell, 18, of Bolivar; and Katelyn N. Owens, 15, of Mineral City.

The purpose of the bus journey was to transport the students and chaperones to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus, as stated by Tuscarawas Valley Superintendent Derek Varansky. Unfortunately, the conference, touted as the second-largest education convention in the nation, had to be canceled upon learning of the tragic crash. The event was originally planned to offer professional development sessions for school district management teams, along with an annual Student Achievement Fair showcasing 100 booths of innovative school programs.

During a community prayer vigil held on Tuesday night, Varansky expressed the immense sorrow felt by the district, describing it as one of the darkest days in their history and the worst day of his life. He emphasized the community’s commitment to honoring those who lost their lives and providing support to the surviving students who will carry the traumatic experience with them. Varansky acknowledged that Wednesday’s classes would continue, albeit in an altered manner, as the district did not want any students to be alone at home. Additionally, counselors and support staff from various community organizations would be present at the schools to offer assistance.

All three occupants of one of the passenger vehicles involved in the crash, including a teacher and two chaperones for the student trip, were also pronounced dead at the scene. The victims were identified as Dave Kennat, 56, of Navarre; Kristy Gaynor, 39, of Zoar; and Shannon Wigfield, 45, of Bolivar. The driver of the other passenger vehicle was transported to a hospital for treatment. Among the drivers of the commercial vehicles involved, one was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while the other received treatment at the scene, according to the highway patrol.

The collision resulted in the closure of both sides of Interstate 70 for several hours, leading to significant traffic congestion in the area. However, the eastbound lanes were reopened late Tuesday afternoon, followed by the reopening of the westbound lanes early Wednesday.

Tori Wilson, a sophomore at the school who was seated towards the back of the bus during the accident, recounted her harrowing experience to WBNS-TV. Wilson overheard someone mention the presence of fire and the urgent need to evacuate, but she found herself trapped and unable to move. She described the distressing scene, with a fellow student having a seizure on top of her while her friend, who initially offered her the seat by the window, was crushed by the collapsing seats.

Amidst the flames, the junior high band director bravely continued to re-enter the bus, rescuing students and pulling them to safety. Wilson vividly recalled the agony of a student behind her, complaining of excruciating leg pain, and her desperate attempts to escape without causing harm. Eventually, she managed to free herself through a window, escaping the terrifying ordeal.

Regrettably, this tragic incident marks the second fatal crash in the United States involving high school students on a charter bus in recent months. In September, a charter bus carrying high school students to band camp veered off a New York highway, resulting in the loss of two lives and multiple injuries.

*The Associated Press*.