A pileup on the Ohio Turnpike involving at least 50 vehicles left three travelers from various Midwestern states dead and one state trooper injured.
Heavy snowfall severely reduced visibility for most motorists driving on the freeway Thursday morning, according to a report by the News-Messenger in Fremont, Ohio.
Whiteout conditions reportedly contributed to the massive pileup, which extended at least 2 miles and led to more accidents further down the turnpike at around 1:30 p.m. EST.
About 16 cars slammed into one another at the site of the first crash, the News-Messenger reported. The deceased from this portion of the pileup have been identified as 20-year-old Parma, Ohio resident Hannah Matheny and 42-year-old Grzegorz A. Piwowarczyk of Palatine, Ill.
Matheny was reportedly riding in the passenger's side of a Ford Focus, while Piwowarczyk drove a tractor-trailer rig.
66-year-old Janice M. Robb, who was a passenger in a Chevy Venture in the second crash zone, died at the site of the accident, which involved around 20 cars.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Andrew Clouser, 29, who was stuck between two vehicles after the crash, was eventually pried free, and is said to be in stable condition.
"The trooper is conscious," patrol assistant public affairs commander Sgt. Vincent Shirey told the News-Messenger on Thursday. "I was told he is doing better."
Shirey also stated that a vehicle at the accident pounded Clouser while he was handling another accident that occurred at 1:25 p.m. EST near Clyde, Ohio in the turnpike's eastbound lanes.
He reportedly sustained leg injuries, but is slated to recover soon.
Officials closed all lanes on the freeway for a few hours between the Ohio 4 Sandusky and Ohio 53 Fremont-Port Clinton exits while they cleaned up the debris strewn about the turnpike.
Highway patrol dispatchers told the News-Messenger that both lanes on the freeway had been cleared of the 50-car pileup by 4 a.m. on Thursday.
"Nobody is stopped now, other than disabled vehicles," dispatchers from the Milan post told the News-Messenger.
