COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has agreed to pay $210,000 to a woman who suffered serious injuries after her vehicle struck a “thick layer” of road salt inadvertently dumped on Route 224 in Medina County.
In January 2020, Lodi resident Rebecca Cmar was driving her compact car on U.S. Route 224 when she hit a thick layer of salt spread across the eastbound lane. The sudden impact caused her to lose control, veer off the right side of the road, and roll over twice into a ditch. A nearby motorist extinguished a small fire in Cmar’s vehicle and assisted her until emergency responders arrived.
Cmar sustained multiple back injuries from the crash, resulting in over $88,000 in medical expenses. She faces an estimated $50,000 in future medical costs, including potential spinal fusion surgery for her lower spine.
An investigation revealed that ODOT driver Dylan Hale was spreading salt that evening, with his truck set to dispense 40 pounds of salt per mile. However, due to an equipment malfunction or operator error, the truck released between two and three tons of salt in one area near Westfield Township.
In January 2022, Rebecca and her husband, Richard Cmar, filed a lawsuit against ODOT in the Ohio Court of Claims, alleging negligence in road maintenance. They sought $380,442 in damages for medical expenses, future medical costs, and other losses.
ODOT disputed the claim, arguing that Cmar was driving at an unreasonable speed given the road conditions, weather, and nighttime visibility. The department contended that had she been operating her vehicle responsibly, she could have avoided the salt pile.
Photographic evidence from the Ohio State Highway Patrol showed a substantial amount of salt covering the roadway. In one photo, a quarter placed on the salt pile was half-covered, illustrating the depth of the spill. An expert report from Allin/Rose Consulting concluded that the ODOT driver’s failure to properly operate the equipment led to the accident.
After pretrial statements and negotiations, both parties agreed to settle the case for $210,000. The Ohio Court of Claims approved the settlement on September 20.