According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Jordan April, 41, of Springfield, was driving a Chevrolet Malibu and swerved to avoid a deer laying in the road, lost control, and crashed into a Kenworth semi tractor-trailer. The Malibu was left disabled in the middle lane of the highway, and April got out of the car.
Following that crash, a 2021 Toyota Corolla crashed into the Malibu, shoving the Malibu into April, OSHP said.
First responders arrived after these two crashes and started to render aid, including a Mad River Township Fire and EMS fire truck parked in the lanes on the right side of the road with its emergency lights on.
At about 5:08 a.m., the highway patrol said a Ford Fusion, driven by Elvis Kikuba, 21, of Milford Center, with passenger Musa Kimuli, 33, also of Milford Center, stopped in the right lane while trying to merge to pass the stopped fire truck.
Soon after, a Volvo semi truck crashed into the Fusion, shoving the car into first the guard rail and then the Kenworth semi from the initial crash. The Volvo then continued to crash into the fire engine, run off the left side of the road and hit a median concrete barrier wall.
The passenger from the Fusion, Kimuli, was thrown out of the car, OSHP said.
Kikuba was flown via CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital, where he died due to his injuries.
Kimuli and April were both taken to Mercy Health Springfield Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The drivers of the semi trucks were not injured.
State troopers were assisted at the crash by the Mad River Township Fire and EMS Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio Department of Transportation.
The crash remains under investigation, OSHP said, and no charges have been filed at this time.
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