US accident: 6 killed in fiery, multi-vehicle crash on I-70W identified by Ohio Highway Patrol

ETNA (Ohio, US), Nov 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — – The Ohio Highway Patrol has identified the six people killed in a fiery crash Tuesday that involved a charter bus, a tractor-trailer, another commercial vehicle, and two passenger vehicles on Interstate 70 westbound in Licking County, about a half-mile before the Route 310 Etna interchange.

The Highway Patrol said the chain-reaction crash occurred at 8:52 a.m. on I-70 as all the vehicles were traveling west. At least three of the vehicles caught fire as a result of the crash, the patrol said.

The charter bus was occupied by a driver and 54 students, teachers and chaperones from Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools in Zoarville, Tuscarawas County, who were on their way to the last day of the Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus.

Three students on the bus were killed: John W. Mosely, 18, and Katelyn N. Owens, 15, both of Mineral City; and Jeffery D. Worrell, 18, of Bolivar, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol Granville Post.

The other three killed were a teacher and two other chaperones who were accompanying the students in one of the two passenger vehicles involved in the crash. They are: Dave Kennat, 56, of Navarre; Kristy Gaynor, 39, of Zoar; and Shannon Wigfield, 45, of Bolivar.

Besides the three students killed, 15 other students and the bus driver were injured and transported to area hospitals. The remaining students were taken to a reunification site in Etna Township.

The driver of the semi that appeared to have struck the bus from behind during the crash was transported to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, Downtown, with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other commercial vehicle was treated and released at the scene, according to the Highway Patrol.

In addition, the patrol said the driver of the second passenger vehicle was also transported to an area hospital.

Medic squads took victims from the crash to at least seven area hospitals, including Licking Memorial Hospital in Newark, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center and Mount Carmel East hospital in Columbus, and OhioHealth Pickerington Methodist hospital.

Of those reporting receiving injured, OhioHealth initially reported treating five for minor injuries. Four were reported taken to Mount Carmel East, one of whom was transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital where some others injured were reported taken. Mount Carmel Reynoldsburg treated and released three.

The Ohio School Boards Association canceled the last day of its annual convention in the wake of the crash. The event, which began Sunday and was to end Tuesday, features speakers, a trade show and a student success exposition, according to the OSBA website. — NNN-AGENCIES