Six People from Tuscawaras County Killed in Deadly Crash on I-70

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Investigation into Deadly I-70 Crash in Licking County Could Take Over a Year, Says NTSB Chair

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair, Jennifer Homendy, has outlined the next steps her team will be taking to investigate the tragic crash on I-70 in Licking County that claimed the lives of six people from Tuscawaras County on Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Homendy revealed that the investigation could potentially take more than a year to complete. However, a preliminary report is expected to be released in the coming weeks, and if any urgent findings are discovered, the agency may issue safety recommendations earlier. These recommendations could play a crucial role in preventing similar accidents in the future if a significant problem is identified as the cause of the crash.

During the crash, six people lost their lives, while over a dozen others were hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the collision involving five vehicles. Tragically, three passengers on the bus, which was carrying a driver and 54 students and chaperones, were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims were identified as 18-year-old John W. Mosely from Mineral City, 18-year-old Jeffery D. Worrell from Bolivar, and 15-year-old Katelyn N. Owens, also from Mineral City.

The bus was en route to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus, as confirmed by Tuscarawas Valley Superintendent Derek Varansky. Additionally, three individuals in a passenger vehicle accompanying the bus from the school also lost their lives in the crash. These victims were identified as 56-year-old Dave Kennat from Navarre, 39-year-old Kristy Gaynor from Zoar, and 45-year-old Shannon Wigfield from Bolivar.

In response to the devastating incident, the Tusky Valley School District community held a vigil to mourn the loss of the six community members. The district also provided optional classes on Wednesday and made resources available to support grieving students and faculty members.

Joining Homendy at the press conference were Ohio State Highway Patrol Colonel Charles Jones and NTSB Investigator In-Charge Kenneth Bragg. The federal investigators were granted access to the crash site on Wednesday, where they began examining physical evidence from the five vehicles involved in the collision. The NTSB team, comprising nine investigators and seven experts, will spend the following weeks carefully scrutinizing various aspects of the incident.

Colonel Jones emphasized the importance of thoroughness and cautioned that the investigation would require a significant amount of time to yield accurate results. He stressed the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s commitment to ensuring that all reported facts are factual and true.

As part of their investigation, the NTSB teams are collecting video evidence from nearby businesses as well as from the vehicles involved in the crash. They have already recovered several cameras and black boxes from some of the vehicles.

During the press conference, Homendy provided further details about the crash, including the order in which the vehicles were traveling at the time of the incident. She stated that a semi-truck led the train of vehicles, followed by a red SUV, the charter bus carrying the students, another passenger vehicle accompanying the bus, and finally, another semi-truck. Shocking images revealed the second passenger vehicle to be almost unrecognizable, while the charred remains of the rear semi-truck resembled a mere shell of its former self.

Furthermore, Homendy disclosed that only the driver of the charter bus was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. However, Colonel Jones was unable to provide further information regarding another crash that occurred on I-70 westbound an hour prior to this one. The officials did not answer questions about the cause of the crash, the sequence of events during the collision, or the factors contributing to the fire that engulfed the second semi-truck and the charter bus. They stated that much of this information remains unknown but may be uncovered as the investigation progresses.

The NTSB, in collaboration with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, is committed to conducting a comprehensive investigation into this tragic incident. Their efforts aim to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the crash and, ultimately, to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future..