A tragic one-vehicle crash occurred on Interstate 71 near Ohio 39, resulting in the death of a 19-year-old man from Mansfield. The driver, identified as Payton Sturts, was operating a commercial dump truck at the time of the incident, as confirmed by Richland County coroner’s office. Sturts was pronounced dead at the scene, and his body will undergo an autopsy.
According to a news release from the Mansfield post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, the crash took place around 12:40 p.m. It occurred when a 2006 Mack dump truck carrying gravel experienced a suspected front tire blowout. As a result, the vehicle veered off the right side of the road, collided with the guardrail, overturned, and rolled down an embankment. The impact caused the truck to catch fire. The driver sustained fatal injuries in the crash, as stated in the patrol’s news release.
During the investigation of the crash, traffic delays were encountered on the interstate. However, by late evening, all lanes were reopened for normal traffic flow. The Richland County Ohio Department of Transportation, Auer’s Towing, Richland County Coroner’s Office, and the Madison and Mifflin fire departments and EMS provided assistance at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation as authorities work to determine the exact cause and circumstances surrounding the incident.
The tire that caused this crash will need to be inspected for defects that may have caused its failure.
Tire blowouts pose significant challenges and risks when they occur on dump trucks. Dump trucks are heavy-duty vehicles that carry substantial loads, often including gravel, dirt, or other construction materials. When a tire blowout happens, several difficulties arise that can jeopardize the safety and functionality of the dump truck.
It may cause the truck to veer off the road, collide with barriers or structures, or even overturn. The force generated by the blowout can also damage the truck’s body or other critical components, creating further risk for the driver and the motoring public. Unfortunately, our firm is seeing more and more steer axle tire failures on loaded dump trucks and similar commercial vehicles caused by defective tires.
In Maricopa County, Arizona, a serious accident involving a 2020 Isuzu NRR Delivery Truck resulted in our client suffering severe injuries. The truck experienced a front left tire failure, leading it to pull to the left and collide with the passenger side of our client’s vehicle. The impact caused significant harm, including broken bones, lacerations, internal injuries, and permanent back injuries. The client’s life has been greatly impacted by this accident.
In another case, a tragic incident occurred in Harris County, Texas, involving a 1996 Kenworth Construct T800 Dump Truck. The truck was traveling eastbound on Beltway 8 in Missouri City when its front right tire failed. This led to the truck striking a barrier and falling off the beltway, resulting in a fiery crash. The driver was trapped inside the burning truck and sadly lost his life. The surviving spouse and children are left grappling with the challenges of coping with such a devastating loss.
In yet another, a Washington County, Kansas, fatal accident involving a 1999 Mack RB60 cement truck unfolded, leaving a young man dead. Our client’s son, who had recently returned home from working as a traveling nurse, was tragically killed in the crash. The Mack cement truck suffered a front-left steer axle tire failure, causing the driver to lose control and tip into oncoming traffic, colliding with the young man’s vehicle. The grieving parents are seeking accountability from the manufacturer for the defective tire, as they navigate the heartbreaking aftermath of their son’s untimely death.
These are just a few of the many, many tire failures we are currently seeing on commercial vehicles, leading to the same results. These are difficult crashes that leave families broken and lives shattered. Many of our clients find solace in speaking with others going through the same experience caused by the same manufacturers. These manufacturers must be held accountable for the innocent lives that are being lost.
It is too early to determine, based on the facts presented, whether the tire in this crash was defective. However, it is eerily similar. If it was, the manufacturer should be held accountable.
I offer my deepest condolences to the surviving family during this difficult time of injustice and grief.
*****
The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation, with extensive experience in complex auto/tire defect and commercial vehicle cases.
Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.
