Tragedy Strikes: Six Dead and 18 Injured in Ohio Charter Bus Crash, Including John W. Mosely, Jeffery D. Worrell, and Katelyn N. Owens

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Tragic Charter Bus Crash Claims Six Lives and Injures 18 in Etna, Ohio

ETNA, Ohio — In a devastating incident that has sent shockwaves through the community, a charter bus filled with high school students was involved in a fatal accident on an Ohio highway Tuesday morning. The collision, which occurred on Interstate 70 in Licking County, resulted in the death of six people and left 18 others injured.

The accident involved five vehicles, including a Pioneer Trails charter bus carrying students and chaperones from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio. According to Licking County Emergency Management Agency Director Sean Grady, the crash occurred when a semitruck rear-ended the bus, triggering a chain-reaction collision.

Tragically, three passengers on the bus, identified as John W. Mosely, 18, of Mineral City; Jeffery D. Worrell, 18, of Bolivar; and Katelyn N. Owens, 15, of Mineral City, were pronounced dead at the scene, as confirmed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The loss of young lives has deeply saddened the community, prompting Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to express his condolences during a press conference at the scene. He stated, “This is our worst nightmare, when we have a bus full of children involved in a crash. Prayers go out to the families, everyone who was on the bus.”

A total of 15 students and the bus driver were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical treatment, while other students were taken to a designated reunification site. Tragically, all three occupants of one of the passenger vehicles involved in the collision also lost their lives. They 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, while the drivers of the commercial vehicles involved sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash, which occurred around 9 a.m., resulted in multiple vehicles catching fire, adding to the chaos and severity of the incident. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation, with a team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators en route to the scene to gather evidence and determine the factors that contributed to the tragedy.

The ill-fated bus was en route to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus, according to Tuscarawas Valley Superintendent Derek Varansky. However, upon learning of the crash, the conference organizers made the difficult decision to cancel the event. In a Facebook post, Varansky expressed the school’s immediate focus on providing support to the affected families and the entire school community.

Pioneer Trails, the charter bus company involved in the accident, offered its condolences to those affected and assured cooperation with authorities. The company declined to comment further pending the ongoing investigation.

In the wake of this tragic incident, the American Red Cross swiftly mobilized to assist the victims. The organization sent 30 units of blood to a hospital in the Mount Carmel Health System to aid in the treatment of the injured. Additionally, a United Methodist Church in Etna was designated as a center where passengers who did not require medical attention could gather and contact their loved ones.

As news of the accident spread, concerned parents flocked to Tuscarawas Valley Middle-High School to pick up their children. School officials were on hand to provide support and information, but the atmosphere was filled with grief and anxiety. Parent Laurie Fragasse, upon picking up her daughter, expressed her deep distress, stating, “I’m sick. I’m sick to my stomach.”

Emergency responders from various agencies swiftly arrived at the scene of the crash, with Ohio Department of Transportation cameras capturing smoke billowing from the area. Police officers were strategically positioned to block nearby entrance ramps, diverting traffic and ensuring the safety of other motorists.

This tragic incident comes just months after another fatal crash involving high school students on a charter bus. In September, two individuals lost their lives and several others were injured when a charter bus carrying students to band camp veered off a New York highway.

The entire community is now grappling with grief, and as investigations continue, they seek answers to understand how such a devastating accident could have occurred. In this time of immense loss, Ohio and the nation stand in solidarity with the families affected by this heartbreaking tragedy..