Editor’s Note: This article updates an item posted earlier Wednesday on the Examiner Facebook page.
A two-vehicle tanker truck crash Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 4, at U.S. Route 68 and County Road 5 just north of West Liberty resulted in one driver being airlifted to a Columbus hospital.
Troopers from the Marysville Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol report that Shawn Todd, 50, of Alger, was flown by CareFlight to Grant Medical Center in serious condition.
The second driver, Brandon Ross, 36, of Bastrop, La., sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by the Macochee Joint Ambulance District to Mary Rutan Hospital.
According to reports, Ross was operating a 2023 Freightliner tractor-trailer tanker northbound on U.S. 68 about 1:08 p.m. and was attempting to make a right turn onto C.R. 5 when his vehicle was struck from behind by the 2017 Freightliner tractor-trailer tanker Todd was operating.
After the collision, Todd’s tanker truck, which was empty, traveled off the west side of the road and came to rest in a ditch.
The other tanker was hauling milk. No hazardous materials were involved, and no spillage was reported.
Troopers were assisted by the West Liberty Fire Department, West Liberty Police Department, Macochee Joint Ambulance District, West Liberty Street Department and Top’s Towing.
Officials said assisting agencies were instrumental in clearing the scene and reopening the roadway.
A portion of U.S. 68 was closed for about two hours, and traffic was diverted onto an alternate route through the village.
Alcohol or drugs are not suspected to be factors in the crash, which remains under investigation.
