ODOT worker’s survival ‘nothing short of a miracle’
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the explosive crash that engulfed a dump truck and ODOT truck in flames Thursday morning on Interstate 77 in Green.
The drivers of both vehicles remained hospitalized Friday with serious injuries from the crash that happened shortly after 7 a.m. in the northbound lanes of the interstate.
Video from the Ohio Department of Transportation shows a dump truck in heavy traffic veering out of the right lane and smashing into the rear of an ODOT truck that was parked well off the side of the highway. The ODOT driver apparently had stopped to pick up trash he had spotted on the side of the interstate while he was driving to a work assignment.
The resulting explosion created a huge ball of flame that surrounded both trucks as they were swept further off the side of the highway near Graybill Road.
“It is nothing short of a miracle that he [the ODOT driver] survived,” said Gery Noirot, deputy director for ODOT District 4 that includes Summit County. He called the crash “horrific.”
According to ODOT, the employee who was injured does not have life-threatening injuries.
The Summit County Sheriff ’s Office put out a statement Thursday saying both drivers had life-threatening injuries.
On Friday, the sheriff’s office said deputies continue to investigate the crash and that as of the morning both drivers were alive.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said Friday morning it did not have updated information on the crash.