A truck driver involved in a 10-vehicle pile-up is now facing charges.
The incident occurred at 2:16 p.m. on Sunday in the eastbound lanes of the Ohio Turnpike, south of Sandusky, in Erie County, Ohio.
According to police reports, 40-year-old Georgia semi truck driver, Chavan Roosevelt Carter, was headed eastbound and failed to slow down as he approached traffic. The truck slammed into nine vehicles, including SUVs, a pickup truck, and passenger cars.
The damage was severe.
Seven people were hospitalized, and a young girl died at the scene. She has been identified at 14-year-old Madison Creagan of New York. The truck driver was not injured in the crash.
Fox 8 reported that “Carter was not supposed to be driving in the left lane of the Turnpike when the crash happened.”
All eastbound lanes and all but one westbound lane of the Turnpike were closed until 5 p.m. due to the wreckage.
Traffic was backed up for miles.
Crews removed a section of a barrier wall to allow eastbound traffic to get by.
Troopers, fire fighters, EMS, life flight, and even a school bus, which helped to transport victims to safety, assisted at the scene.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that Carter has been charged with vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, and failure to allow clear distance ahead, as well as a left lane violation.