TRAGEDY ON 20

Tragedy struck on Rt. 20 last night. It was shortly after midnight on Rt. 20 as a semi truck driver and his daughter who was along for the ride, were driving west through Oberlin. Shortly after they passed Quarry Road the driver saw a small white car coming towards them in the eastbound lane. Then without warning the small car swerved into the westbound lane driving directly towards the oncoming semi. Two vehicles behind the Semi was truck driver Frederick Wood from Hubbard Ohio watching. Wood said that the semi driver could do nothing but lay on the brakes. The semi crashed head on into the small white car and the semi pushed the car back over to the eastbound lane where the semi rested on top of the vehicle. The driver and his daughter quickly jumped out of the cab just as the car exploded into flames. Wood and another witness jumped from their vehicles, Wood with the fire extinguisher from his semi, and they ran to the car but the flames were too intense. Neighbors and the witnesses then turned to the truck driver and his daughter quickly moving them to the safety. One of the neighbors took the daughter into their home to help calm her down and take care of her. Ohio State Patrol, Wellington Fire Department and Central Lorain County Ambulance all responded to the scene quickly. Wellington firefighters immediately started fighting the fire in an attempt to rescue the trapped victims. While fighting the fire small explosions would light up the area making any rescue attempt that much more dangerous. The fire department quickly knocked the fire down and as the flames and smoke cleared it became clear that nobody could have survived.

Wood, who has been driving that route on 20 for the past 5 years said that unfortunately this is not the first time that he has seen an accident of this magnitude. Upon hearing that that two people in the car might have been young people he said that having children at home this always makes him think and worry about them. The time that we spent with Mr. Wood on the scene he was on the phone talking to his wife 2 or 3 times, just checking in. Neighbors living right there on Rt. 20 echoed Wood saying that they have lived there all their lives and they too have seen their share of tragic crashes along Rt. 20. This one, right in front of their home, was a little closer though.

For more details on this story please monitor the Elyria Chronicle telegram website, their link is on the top right of this page.