ASHLAND – Two people were killed Tuesday afternoon in an accident on Interstate 71.
According to a press release from the Ashland post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred near milepost 181 at 4:25 p.m. A 2014 Toyota Camry was northbound on I-71 when the driver, Paul Cory, fell asleep and drove off the right side of the roadway striking and killing two pedestrians and a disabled tractor trailer.
The victims were Steven Garceau, 44, of Champlain, New York, who was the driver of the truck, and Dennis McKenzie Jr., 28, of Polk.
The victims appear to have been working on the tractor trailer and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The tractor trailer was a 2009 Kenworth carrying an oversized load. According to the press release, the truck was pulled well off the roadway on the berm. Safety triangles were on the berm behind the truck.
The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Fire and EMS, the Ohio Department of Transportation and the coroner were all called to the scene.
There are no charges at this time and the accident remains under investigation.
