Jason Thomas Stevens, 31, Ashtabula man killed in truck crash in Madedonia, OH
A 31-year-old Ashtabula man was killed in a fiery crash after the tanker truck he was driving went off a bridge and fell to Route 8.
The victim was identified as Jason Thomas Stevens, 31, according to Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office Chief Investigator Gary Gunther, who said the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.
Gunther said the death was also ruled accidental.
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office and the Macedonia Police Department responded to a call for a traffic crash at the ramp onto Interstate 271 at 9:15 a.m. Saturday, according to a press release from Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree.
“A tanker truck had been traveling northbound on State Route 8 and attempted to get on Interstate 271 north when the truck lost control and went over the side of the bridge. The truck landed on the northbound lanes of State Route 8 and subsequently burst into flames,” the press release states.
Deputies from the sheriff’s department and the Summit County Jail responded to the scene as well as a Summit County HazMat team, the Macedonia Fire Department, the Twinsburg Fire Department, and other local fire departments.
The crash is under investigation by the Summit Metro Crash Team and the roads in the area have been closed pending safety inspections.
Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) crews have been working with contractors to inspect the roadways and bridges affected by the crash and fire, according to a press release from the department.
“Closure from a fiery tanker crash the morning of Saturday, January 27 will impact traffic at the State Route 8 and I-271 interchange in Macedonia for several days. … Additional inspections will be needed this week as crews continue to assess the situation.
“ODOT inspectors have found that the roadway on the south end of the Route 8 bridge over Brandywine Creek will need repairs. A contractor will be milling off the top layer of the bridge surface and replacing it. This work is expected to be completed by the end of the week, weather permitting.
“An initial inspection of the flyover ramp that carries northbound Route 8 to northbound Interstate 271 did not find any significant structural damage,” the release states, but ODOT wants to make sure all is safe.
“Safety will always be our top priority. We know that keeping these closures in place is a major inconvenience to thousands of motorists, but we will never trade convenience for safety,” said ODOT District 4 Deputy Director Gary Noirot.
In the wake of this tragic incident, we extend our deepest condolences to the families affected by this heart-wrenching loss. As they grapple with the indescribable pain of bidding farewell to their loved ones, we share in their sorrow and stand in solidarity during this time of profound grief.