Austintown,OH : One person dead and eight people injured in crash involving six vehicles in Mahoning County on Friday afternoon July 31st 2015.

One person is dead and eight people were sent to the hospital after a crash involving six vehicles in Mahoning County on Friday afternoon.

Police say that all six vehicles were traveling westbound on the I-76 Ohio Turnpike, near the I-76 interchange.

Several vehicles were stopped or slowed down in two different lanes, due to a lane closure.

A Volvo commercial vehicle failed to stop in time, veered to the right and struck the right mirror of a Hyundai Santa Fe. It then continued down the middle of both lanes, striking the left rear of a Toyota Rav 4 and then the right rear of a Kia Forte. It then crashed into a Dodge Caravan, pinning it against the right bridge wall with its trailer, and finally coming to rest against the right guardrail.

The pinned Caravan caught fire and ignited the Volvo's trailer.

During the crash, the Forte was also pushed into a Dodge Charger.

When troopers arrived on the scene around 2:45 p.m., the Volvo was against a bridge retainer wall with the trailer on fire.

The Dodge Caravan, still trapped under the trailer and against the retainer wall, was in flames.

Stacey Gardner, 44, of Massillon, was a far rear seat passenger in the Caravan. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Caravan, Michael Gardner, 45, of Massillon, was taken by Life Flight to MetroHealth Medical Center. He is in serious condition.

Two children who were traveling with the Gardners were also treated and released for minor injuries.

The Rav 4 was driven by Elizabeth Barber, 61, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her vehicle also had three passengers, including two minors. All four occupants in Barber's vehicle were transported to Saint Elizabeth's Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio with minor injuries.

Ruth Woods, 27, of Warren, was driving the Forte and was transported to an unknown hospital with possible serious injuries.

The Volvo commercial vehicle was driven by Rahmatkarn Dhillon, 23, of British Columbia, Canada. Dhillon was uninjured in the crash.

The drivers of the Santa Fe and the Charger were also uninjured in the accident.

All I-76 westbound lanes in the area were closed for over eight hours. Traffic was diverted so crews could complete the on-scene investigation.


Source :
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