Police note time similarity in crashes

It was the third time a
trash-hauling truck hit an overpass in Trumbull
County since June.

VIENNA — A weekend crash involving a trash-hauling truck occurred at the exact time of day of a Dec. 18 accident in which a container-hauling trucker was killed.

Dennis G. Keller, 48, of Pulaski, Pa., was not injured when the truck he was driving struck the underside of the state Route 11 overpass to state Route 82 at 4:35 a.m. Saturday.

Lt. Joseph Dragovich, commander of the Ohio State Highway Patrol post in Southington, said 4:35 a.m. is the same time a roll-off truck struck the Niles-Vienna Road overpass to Route 11 on Dec. 18, killing driver Raymond Cross Jr., 46, of Mercer, Pa.

The Niles-Vienna overpass is not far from the Route 11 overpass. Both are in Vienna Township.

Dragovich said he is at a loss to explain the recent accidents involving trash-hauling trucks other than driver error.

In talking with those in the business, Dragovich said he has found no value in leaving the boom or arm of such trucks in the extended or up position.

On June 4, a driver was killed when the boom of his truck hit the Route 82 overpass to Route 45 in Champion Township. It was the same type of truck in which Cross was killed.

The front-loading arm of the truck Keller was driving struck the Route 11 overpass. He was cited for assured clear distance.

Dragovich said Keller had serviced Quaker Steak and Lube, a Sharon, Pa., restaurant. He was driving westbound on Route 82 when the arm hit the overpass.

It cracked one of the span’s I-beams and left two dents in the structure. State Routes 11 and 82 remain open.