Medina, OH — A young woman was killed just north of Medina early Wednesday morning (September 24, 2014) after her car was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler truck. The accident happened around 5:00 a.m. and the young woman was identified as 18-year old Renee Ondrejech.
Police think that Ondrejech was driving her car, a Volkswagen Passat, north along I-71 early Wednesday morning when the car began to have some mechanical problems. As Ondrejech’s vehicle came to a stop in the right-hand lanes of I-71, she was rear-ended by a northbound 18-wheeler that didn’t stop in time.
The larger big rig shoved Ondrejech’s off the road and into a group of trees, which killed Ondrejech immediately. The accident also injured the truck driver, identified as Scott Meeks, 43. He was taken to a hospital, but it’s not clear if he’s going to face any charges for failing to stop in time.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary:
This was a really terrible accident because, as far as I can tell, this young woman didn’t even have a chance to pull off the side of the road. The truck driver, who should have been paying attention to the road ahead, apparently didn’t see her car in time and rear-ended it. Now, is it possible that the young woman’s car had stopped on a dime, leaving the 18-wheeler no chance at all to slow down? Sure, anything is possible, but at that early hour, I’m guessing this truck driver just wasn’t keeping a close lookout. Honestly, we should expect more from truck drivers – trained and paid professionals – but in the 20+ years I’ve been handling these types of cases as a lawyer, I’ve seen just about everything. Ultimately, this truck driver and the company that hired him need to take responsibility for the trucker’s actions. It’s the right thing to do.
— Grossman Law Offices
