Defiance County, OH : One person died after car collided head on with a semi in Defiance on Tuesday afternoon, January 19, 2016

A man whose car ended up in the wrong lanes on U.S. 24 in Defiance, Ohio died after he collided head on with a semi Tuesday afternoon, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Joe R. Salinas, 63, of Leipsic, Ohio, steered a 2005 Buick down the wrong way of an exit ramp and then began going east in the westbound lanes of the highway just east of Ohio 66. At about 2:45 p.m., the car slammed into a 2016 Freightliner semi going west and driven by 35-year-old Harpreet Hayar of Onatario, Canada.

Salinas, who was not wearing a seat belt according to police, died at the scene.

Hayar, who had his seat belt on, and a passenger in the sleeping compartment of the semi did not have any injuries, police said.

Both westbound lanes of US 24 were shut down for three hours.

The Highway Patrol was assisted by Defiance County Coroner, Defiance Police Department, Defiance Fire and Rescue, and Ohio Department of Transportation. The crash remains under investigation.

Source :

Car-semi collision kills 1 in Defiance