Car hauler dumps fuel and cars, closes I-70 for 9 hours


Zanesville Times Recorder
BY KATHY THOMPSON • Staff Writer • April 7, 2010

NEW CONCORD -- A nearly nine-hour closure of Interstate 70's westbound lanes on Tuesday was caused by a the rollover of a car hauler that dumped fuel and cars.

The accident happened around 8 a.m. and closed lanes until just before 5 p.m.

Lt. Mike Forshey, of the Ohio Highway Patrol Zanesville post, said Ronald H. Young Jr., 41, of East Greenville, Pa., was traveling west when he looked down at his GPS unit, and the hauler carrying nine vehicles slid into the guardrail, carrying the cab of the car hauler with it.

Three cars were ejected and rolled into the field, Forshey said, while the cab containing Young rolled over and landed on its roof.

"It was a mess," Forshey said.

Young was transported to Grant Medical Center in Columbus with a back injury. Young was not wearing a seat belt, Forshey said.

Young was employed by Hibsman Auto Group in Pennsylvania, according to Forshey.

Authorities with the Ohio Environmental Agency were called to the scene because not only was the car hauler leaking diesel fuel, but some of the cars were leaking fuel, said Dennis Deavers, an on-scene coordinator with the Environmental Protection Agency.

"Zemba Brothers of Zanesville was quick to respond to the scene, as well as fire fighting units from New Concord and the area, and they were able to contain the fuel pretty quick," Deavers said. "The leakage itself is pretty minor, but we have to clean it up before we can let traffic through."

The accident remains under investigation and charges are pending, Forshey said.

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