BELLVILLE – The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Mansfield Post is investigating a five-vehicle fatal crash that occurred yesterday at 10:49 p.m. on Interstate 71 near milepost 159 in Perry Township.
According to the preliminary investigation, a Nissan Rogue, operated by Michael L. Albaugh, 60, from Lewis Center, was traveling southbound on I-71 on the night of May 1 when it struck a deer. The collision caused the SUV’s hood to come unlatched, blocking the windshield.
At the same time, a Freightliner commercial tractor-trailer, driven by Ahmed M. Ahmed, 28, of Coon Rapids, Minn., was following behind the SUV. Ahmed swerved to avoid the Nissan as it slowed in the roadway. He then drove off the left side of the roadway, through the median and into the northbound lanes, where his tractortrailer struck a northbound Chevrolet Uplander, operated by Shawna E. Smith, 60, of Mansfield, and a Ford Escape, driven by Ronald D. Smith, 62, of Fairlawn, and then caught fire. A Freightliner commercial tractor-trailer, operated by Elvedin Hanusic, 43, of Jacksonville, Fla., then struck Ahmed’s commercial tractor-trailer that came to rest in the northbound lanes and then overturned.
Shawna Smith and Ronald Smith suffered fatal injuries at the scene. The drivers of the remaining vehicles; the passenger of the Nissan, Lynette D. Albaugh, 51, of Lewis Center and the passenger of Hanusic’s tractor-trailer, Hebib Meril, 41, of Jacksonville, Fla., all sustained minor injuries and were transported by ambulance to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital.
All northbound lanes were closed for approximately nine hours, and some southbound lanes were closed for approximately four hours, while the scene was cleared and an initial investigation was completed.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Richland County Coroner’s Office, Bellville Police Department, Jefferson Township Fire Department, Troy Township Fire Department, Washington Township Fire Department, Johnsville Fire Department, Mike’s Towing & Repair, Laurence's Towing & Repair and Westside Towing.