Trucker seriously hurt in crash on US 24

Van Wert independent

PAULDING — The Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a serious injury crash that occurred on U.S. 24 in Paulding County on Wednesday afternoon.

Daniel W. Guy Jr., 42, of Toledo, was critically injured when his semi-tractor-trailer rig reportedly rear-ended another semi on U.S. 24, a half-mile west of County Road 115 in Emerald Township.

According to investigating troopers, Guy was westbound on U.S. 24 when his semi approached a slower-moving 2016 International semi pulling a loaded flatbed trailer and driven by Maurice W. Waller Jr., 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Guy reportedly did not slow down or change lanes to avoid the slower-moving semi and hit the flatbed trailer, causing his truck cab to separate from the frame and trapping him in the driver’s seat. The damaged semi came to rest across both westbound lanes of U.S. 24, while Waller’s semi, which sustained moderate damage, was pulled to the berm.

Paulding Fire and EMS responded to the crash scene and, with the help of Gideon’s Towing and Recovery, were able to extricate Guy from the wreckage. He was then taken to a Fort Wayne, Indiana, hospital by life-flight helicopter, where he is being treated for critical injuries, the Patrol said. Waller was not injured.

Paulding County sheriff’s deputies and Ohio Department of Transportation workers also assisted troopers at the scene.

U.S. 24 was closed for more than four hours during the crash investigation and debris cleanup operations. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.