ODOT seeks OK for Route 11 overpass repair

The death is the second one in six months involving the hoist on a trash hauler in Trumbull County.

By ED RUNYAN

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

VIENNA — The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Akron office wants emergency approval to allow demolition and reconstruction of damaged portions of the Niles-Vienna Road bridge over state Route 11 to begin immediately.

Pat Kennard, spokeswoman for the Akron office, said it is unknown when the approval from ODOT Director James G. Beasley will be granted or how long the repair will take.

She estimated the repair cost at around $250,000. The time frame is still “indefinite,” she said Wednesday afternoon.

The bridge is slated for replacement in 2014.

Until the bridge is fixed, the southbound lanes of the heavily traveled Route 11 will be closed between state Route 82 and Tibbetts-Wick Road.

Raymond F. Cross Jr., 45, of Grandview Drive, Mercer, Pa., died at the scene when the lift of his roll-off container truck hit the underside of the Niles-Vienna overpass in Vienna Township, about 4:39 a.m. Tuesday.

The family man was an experienced driver who apparently made a mistake, said Edward Vogel, vice president of Tri-County Industries Inc. of Grove City.

Cross was married with two children. “His supervisor said he was a good guy and did what you asked,” Vogel said.

He said Cross had driven roll-off trucks for Tri-County for the past three years. He drove residential garbage trucks three years before doing that for Tri-County.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Cross had a valid commercial driver’s license, and his record showed no suspensions. His blood will be checked for drugs or alcohol as in any fatal accident, the patrol said.

Vogel said the most obvious explanation for the accident is that Cross simply didn’t lower the hoist after dropping off a garbage bin at the Eastwood Mall Target store that morning.

“Whether he got back in and got distracted, we may never know,” Vogel said.

The operator uses controls inside the truck to raise the hoist to leave off a garbage container. Afterward, he uses the controls to return the hoist to its down position.

No safety device is in use on such trucks that would prevent them from being driven with the hoist in the air, because the trucks need to be able to move forward or backward while the hoist is raised, Vogel said.

Lt. Joe Dragovich, commander of the state patrol’s Southington post, said the cab of Cross’ truck apparently lifted up and crashed into the underside of the bridge as the hoist smashed into the bridge. That may have been enough to cause the fatal injuries, Dragovich said.

A ruling on his death is pending an autopsy in Cuyahoga County.

Cross’ overturned truck came to rest just south of the bridge. Three other vehicles were then involved in less serious crashes.

Dragovich noted the death is the second one in six months involving the hoist on a trash hauler in Trumbull County.

Ronald F. Lombardo, 55, of Kirk Road, Austintown, died June 4, when the hoist on his truck hit the state Route 82 overpass on state Route 45 in Champion. He worked for Phoenix Disposal of Youngstown.

That 2:45 a.m. accident caused minor damage to that overpass. His truck was probably traveling at around 35 miles per hour, Dragovich said, adding that for now he is assuming Cross was traveling at about 55 miles per hour.

Though debris on Route 11 caused two other crashes shortly after the waste hauler hit, none of those drivers witnessed the collision of the waste hauler with the bridge, Dragovich said.

A car traveling about a half mile behind Cross being driven by Theodore M. Jurgle, 55, of Burghill, hit debris from the trash hauler and then narrowly avoided being struck by a semi-tractor trailer being driven by Colin Megaw, 44, of West St. John, Canada.

Megaw’s truck did hit a pickup truck driven by Richard Bitner, 44, of West Farmington, causing severe damage to the two trucks.

Jurgle and Bitner were treated at area hospitals. Megaw did not seek treatment.

runyan@vindy.com