BELLE VALLEY, OH : Zanesville man killed in head-on collision on I-77 on Sunday, January, 7th 2018

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that alcohol was a factor in a head-on collision on Interstate 77 in Noble County early Sunday morning that claimed the life of a Zanesville man.

Ronald E. Cunningham, 44, was pronounced dead at the scene after his vehicle collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. He was not wearing a safety belt and was partially ejected from the vehicle he was driving, according to the highway patrol’s Cambridge post.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Thomas E. Collins, 41, Cleveland, suffered incapacitating injuries when the truck he was driving traveled off the roadway and overturned following the collision with the vehicle driven by Cunningham.

Collins was transported by United Ambulance to Southeastern Med.

A nursing supervisor at Southeastern Med said no patient with that name was in the hospital. Additional information regarding the extent of Collins’ injuries or his condition was not available as of press time Monday.

The accident occurred at approximately 3:15 a.m.

Both lanes of northbound I-77 were closed at the crash scene for approximately five hours.

According to the highway patrol, Cunningham was driving a 2000 Buick LeSabre southbound in the northbound lanes of I-77 near Belle Valley when he collided head-on with the tractor-trailer. The LeSabre traveled off the west side of the road where the engine compartment reportedly caught fire.

Cunningham was pronounced dead by medical personnel and his body was transported to Chandler Funeral Home in Caldwell by United Ambulance.

The tractor-trailer traveled off the east side of the roadway following the collision and struck a guardrail before going over an embankment where the truck overturned. A load of motor vehicles separated from the trailer, according to the highway patrol.

Collins was wearing a safety belt and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to a patrol press release.

The Belle Valley and Caldwell fire departments were dispatched to the scene along with United Ambulance.

The highway patrol reported being assisted by the Noble County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Source :
Zanesville man killed in head-on collision on I-77