Canton Township, OH : Canton man dead after I-77 crash early Friday morning on June 20, 2014

The driver who caused a fatal collision along Interstate 77 early Friday morning was drunk and tried to run away from the crash scene, investigators said.

The two-vehicle crash blocked both southbound lanes south of Canton for several hours Friday morning.

Jesus P. Pelico, 20, of New Philadelphia was arrested shortly after the wreck, according to Sgt. Leo Shirkey of the Ohio Highway Patrol’s Canton post.

Pelico was driving a blue 2003 Dodge Caravan minivan north on I-77 when he lost control, crossed the grassy median and struck a southbound 2004 Dodge pickup head-on, Shirkey said.

Troopers believe Pelico, who was not injured, ran away.

The pickup driver, 28-year-old Leone Turpin of Canton, was pronounced dead at Aultman Hospital a short time after the crash, Shirkey said. An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday.

After consulting with Canton city prosecutors, Pelico was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, fleeing an accident scene, failure to control and drunken driving, Shirkey said.

Troopers and Stark County Sheriff’s deputies were called about 5:25 a.m. Friday to the Fohl Street SW exit of the interstate.

“Witnesses on scene stated there may have been multiple people who fled the scene, so a lengthy search was conducted in the area using canine officers and the Highway Patrol’s Aviation Unit,” Shirkey said in a statement.

But they found no one else they believe was involved the crash, which remained under investigation later Friday by troopers from the patrol’s criminal investigation, criminal intelligence unit and crash reconstruction units.

Traffic was backed up north to the Faircrest Street exit for several hours.

Drivers were diverted onto the Fohl off-ramp and then back onto the interstate at the same exit as troopers. Ohio Department of Transportation workers with a flat-bed trailer removed the wreckage, all which sat just north of the bridge.

Both lanes reopened shortly after 9:30 a.m.

Source :
Canton man dead after I-77 crash