CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Emergency crews responded to a fatal crash on Route 23 just north of the Route 35 split in Chillicothe.
The accident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. on Wednesday and involved a collision between a tractor-trailer and an SUV. According to law enforcement on the scene, one person in the car was trapped. A tow truck was called to the scene to help lift the trailer to wrench out the vehicle. Once that was successful, the engine block to the SUV had to be raised by the tow truck’s boom because the driver remained trapped.
The driver of the SUV, Randal R. Benner, 54, of Waverly, was taken by ground ambulance to the local hospital in life-threatening condition where he died.
Troopers said the accident remains under investigation but preliminary indicators show that the semi driver, Bikramjit Singh, 27, Stockton, California, went to merge lanes and failed to see the SUV in a blind spot.
Both directions of Route 23 were closed between Route 159 and Main Street due to the accident investigation.