(Source: Kevin Elling)Semi driver dies following US-24 crash, fire
Posted: Jul 20, 2015 11:38 AM EST Updated: Jul 20, 2015 8:09 PM ESTHENRY COUNTY, OH (Toledo News Now) -
One westbound lane of US-24 remains closed following a fatal accident in Henry County Monday morning.
The crash happened on US-24 westbound near Industrial Drive, just east of Napoleon. Traffic was stopped for a train crossing when semi driver, 63-year-old Djordie Mihajlo of Windsor, Ontario, failed to yield and crashed into another semi truck. The crash pushed the second semi into the car in front of it and caused the cargo of the semi to catch fire.
Police say Mihajlo was pinned in the truck and died in the fire. Four people in the car involved were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the second semi was also taken to the hospital to get checked out, but had no reportable injuries.
Brenda Weiss says she drove out to the scene of the accident worried for her grandson who owns a trucking company and is sometimes behind the wheel of the semis.
"When you have family on the road, this road especially, you worry. If you're a loving mother and grandmother, which I am," she said.
Weiss says she thinks route 24 is better, but not completely safe.
"It's still a dangerous road to travel, a lot of semis on it," she said.
Officials on the scene say there is no environmental risk from the accident, but both trucks leaked diesel fuel, which is why they closed both lanes.
The Ohio Department of Transportation says one westbound lane is now open, but the other will remain closed until 3 p.m. Tuesday for pavement repair.
As a detour, they say drivers can take SR 109 to County Rd 424 to Industrial Drive and then head north to 24.