Crashes on I-80 leave 1 dead

STAFF REPORT

HUBBARD — A series of wrecks on black ice resulted in a fatality and shut down a portion of Interstate 80 westbound and eastbound for several hours Sunday evening.

The 83-year-old Pennsylvania woman who died had been a passenger in a vehicle traveling eastbound that wrecked near the Pennsylvania line, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. No further information about the fatality or the extent of other injuries was available by press time.

The first call came in at 6:34 p.m., police said.

There were three crashes between Hubbard and the state line, two on the eastbound lane and one on the westbound lane, the patrol said. One wreck involved a tractor-trailer that jack-knifed.

Initial reports indicated serious, possibly fatal, injuries.

The patrol said at least five people were injured. A helicopter, several ambulances and tow trucks were called to the scene.

The black ice created hazardous road conditions by the truck scales near the Hubbard exit and the Liberty Township line, police said.

The interstate was shut down in both directions until around 9:20 p.m., at which time backed-up traffic slowly began moving.