Southbound Interstate 71 has reopened in Warren County after a series of crashes involving semis, a fire truck and a diesel fuel leak.
The morning commute was snarled after back-to-back crashes early May 20 left lanes closed on the stretch of highway in Union Township until around 8:30 a.m., according to an Ohio State Highway Patrol news release.
Highway patrol says it began with one crash with three cars around 1:30 a.m. The driver of a 2021 Subaru Legacy was traveling southbound on the highway and lost control.
She struck the concrete slab of a bridge overpass and then traveled back into the southbound lanes, striking a Peterbilt semi truck. The Subaru driver was then struck by another Mack semi truck. After the Mack semi truck struck the Subaru driver, that truck traveled off the left side of the highway and hit a guardrail.
When the Subaru driver struck the Peterbilt semi truck, a leak in its fuel saddle spilled diesel gas across the southbound lanes as it came to a stop.
Troopers with highway patrol responded to the crash and emergency personnel were able to extricate the Subaru driver and her passenger from the car. Both were transported by ambulance to Bethesda North Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
As Deerfield Township firefighters were on the highway responding to the crash, around 1:49 a.m., another Mack semi truck struck a fire engine. The fire engine was initially in the middle lane and pulled to the right when it was hit by the semi, according to highway patrol.
No other injuries were reported from either crash.
All southbound lanes were closed during the investigation and cleanup. The left lane reopened around 6 a.m. and the remaining lanes were reopened by 8:30 a.m.
While traffic was backed up, there was another crash involving two more semis. That crash is being investigated by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
Heavy rain crossing the region compounded the situation.
The Subaru driver was found at fault for the first crash and cited for failure to maintain reasonable control of a motor vehicle, according to highway patrol.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Subaru driver cited after chain of crashes involving semis closed I-71
Reporting by David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
