The Ohio Highway Patrol closed down I-70 for over four hours on March 26 as they investigated an accident between a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck that killed two women. The accident occurred shortly after 6 p.m., and the eastbound lanes of I-70 were closed until just after 10:30. The two female victims were residents of Richmond, Indiana.

The 47-year old driver of the car, along with her 72-year old passenger, suffered fatal injuries after their Buick Park Avenue collided with the truck head-on. According to officials, both women were wearing seat belts. The driver of the semi-truck was brought to a local hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released.

The cause of the truck accident is still under investigation. According to eyewitnesses, the car suddenly veered off the road without apparent cause. Ohio Highway Patrol officials are investigating fatigue and potential medical issues as possible causes, as impaired driving and speed do not appear to be factors in the crash.

OSP investigators are currently waiting for a report from the County Coroner's office, which they expect will help with the investigation.

Ohio truck accidents are often require complex investigations. Investigations require gathering all of the immediate facts surrounding the collision as well as an examination of truck logbooks and vehicle equipment. Truck accident investigations can be further complicated by the fact that there can be multiple parties responsible for a single tractor-trailer. The owner of the tractor may be a different person than the driver. The owner of the trailer is often a different person than the owner of the tractor. The owner of the cargo, who is almost always a different person than the vehicle owners and the driver can potentially be responsible as well.

Because truck accidents require such thorough investigations, it is important for people involved in a truck accident to work with attorneys who have experience in truck accident cases. Experienced truck accident attorneys are able to filter through all of the evidence and track down all of the responsible parties in order to help their clients receive their just compensation.

Source: The Register-Herald, "Two die in I-70 crash," Eddie Mowen Jr., 3/30/2011