Thursday, September 27, 2001
LIBERTY -- Traffic was slowed along state Route 11 early today when a tractor-trailer rig carrying five Lincoln Continentals crashed along the road.
The driver, J. T. Goetschius, 46, of Freedom, Ohio, and his dog, Miss Cleo, were not injured.
Sgt. Mike Cerimeli of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the rig was southbound on Route 11, just north of Tibbetts-Wick Road, shortly before 5 a.m.
The trooper said Goetschius noted he had swerved to avoid a deer and the truck went off the right side of the highway, clipping pine trees as it traveled some 500 feet before stopping on its left side.
The driver was working for Heritage Truck Lines of Garrettsville. He said he had dropped off cars in Cortland and was on his way to Stadium Lincoln-Mercury in Boardman when he spotted the deer.
"I should have hit the deer," he said.
He was charged by the state patrol with failure to maintain control.