Additional crashes follow in the wake of fiery tanker crash

LIBERTY

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating two additional crashes that occurred less than 24 hours after a semi tractor-trailer hauling gasoline drove off the side of the roadway in Liberty Township Thursday morning, overturned and became engulfed in flames.

The agency reports that another semi-tractor trailer ran off Interstate 80 in Hubbard near the Pennsylvania border about 10:20 p.m. Thursday. The driver suffered minor injuries and was cited, an OSHP representative said. The representative said the name of the driver was not immediately available.

Also on Thursday evening, troopers responded about 11:45 p.m. to another semi tractor-trailer crash on I-80 in Liberty. A news release states Wojtek P. Wencel, 39, of Mayfield Heights lost control of his vehicle while traveling westbound and went off the roadway. The vehicle overturned and spilled about 150 gallons of diesel fuel, according to the OSHP. The Ohio Department of Transportation provided traffic control and the Liberty Township Fire Department contained the spill.

Wencel was released from St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital for minor injuries. ODOT reports alcohol was not a factor in the crash. The incident remains under investigation.