A fatal wrong-way collision involving a semi-truck on Interstate 71 claimed the life of a 17-year-old Mason High School student early Thursday morning. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that the incident happened around 1:39 a.m., close to milepost 20.
According to authorities, the tragic accident happened when a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by a teenager, was travelling in the wrong direction on both the northbound and southbound lanes of I-71.
The Jeep collided head-on with a southbound tractor-trailer, causing both vehicles to veer off the southeast side of the roadway. The force of the impact resulted in the semi-truck overturning. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene.
The driver of the semi-truck was transported to Mercy Health-Kings Mills with non-life-threatening injuries. Unfortunately, the young driver of the Jeep was pronounced dead at the scene. The teenager’s identity has not been released pending notification of family members.
On Thursday night, a spokesperson from Mason City Schools confirmed that the deceased was a student at Mason High School. The school community is reeling from the sudden loss, and the district has taken immediate steps to support grieving students and staff. Mason City Schools has arranged for its crisis support team to be available at the high school on Friday to aid in the emotional aftermath of the accident.
