BELLVILLE – The Highway Patrol’s Mansfield station is investigating a fatal five-vehicle crash that occurred at 10:49 p.m. Wednesday on Interstate 71 near Perry Township. in Richland County, killing two people, including a Mansfield woman and a Fairlawn man, in two separate vehicles.
Shawna E. Smith, 60, of Mansfield, the driver of a Chevrolet Uplander, and Ronald Smith, 62, of Fairlawn, the driver of a Ford Escape, were each fatally injured at the scene, according to a news release from patrol Thursday. afternoon.
According to the preliminary investigation, a Nissan Rogue, operated by Michael L. Albaugh, 60, Lewis Center, was traveling southbound on I-71 when it struck a deer. The collision caused the hood of the SUV to unlock, blocking the windshield.
At the same time, a Freightliner commercial tractor-trailer, driven by Ahmed M. Ahmed, 28, of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, was following the SUV. Ahmed swerved to avoid the Nissan as it slowed on the roadway. He then left the left side of the roadway, crossed the media and entered the northbound lanes. His tractor-trailer struck a northbound Chevrolet Uplander, operated by Shawna E. Smith, and a Ford Escape, driven by Ronald Smith, and then caught fire, according to the release.
A Freightliner commercial tractor-trailer, operated by Elvedin Hanusic, 43, of Jacksonville, Fla., struck Ahmed’s commercial tractor-trailer, which came to rest in the northbound lanes and then overturned, the company said. the patrol.
The drivers of the remaining vehicles; The passenger in the Nissan, Lynette D. Albaugh, 51, Lewis Center, and the passenger in Hanusic’s tractor-trailer, Hebib Meril, 41, Jacksonville, Fla., all suffered minor injuries and were taken by ambulance to the OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital.
Northbound lanes were closed for approximately nine hours, and some southbound lanes were closed for four hours while the scene was cleared and an initial investigation was conducted.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Coroner’s Office, Bellville Police Department, Township Fire Department Jefferson, Troy Township Fire Department, Washington Township Fire Department, Johnsville Fire Department, Mike’s Towing & Repair, Laurence’s Towing & Repair and Westside Towing.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
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This article originally appeared in the Mansfield News Journal: Two people die after deer-related five-vehicle crash on I-71.
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