Crash kills one, injures one and blocks I-76 westbound

Staff report

NORTH JACKSON

An early morning accident on Interstate 76 has left one person dead and another seriously injured, halting traffic on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Ohio State Highway Patrol said that the accident occurred on I-76 westbound, just east of Bailey Road in North Jack around 5 a.m.

Two commercial vehicles were traveling westbound, when one rear-ended the vehicle in front of it. The driver of the truck that was hit was uninjured, but the passenger of the second truck was killed and that driver was taken by helicopter to St. Elizabeth Health Center, according to reports. The drivers’ identities have not been released.

“We don’t know why it happened, but it was a mess,” said a patrol dispatcher.

I-76 westbound is currently closed just west of the Ohio Turnpike. Motorists will be detoured to state Route 46 southbound to Mahoning Avenue to Bailey Road, said Justin Chesnic of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Highway patrol also said that Interstate 80 westbound, near the state Route 11 interchange, is closed. One lane of I-80 westbound should reopen soon, a dispatcher said.

Trooper are still investigating the cause of the crash.

More than 1.64 million Ohioans are expected to be traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to AAA East Central division.