Pedestrian Injured by 18-Wheeler on I-71 in Medina County, OH
Medina County, OH — June 22, 2022, a woman was struck and injured by a semi-truck while walking on Interstate 71 in Medina County.
Authorities say the incident happened some time before 8:00 a.m. on northbound I-71 near State Route 3. Preliminary investigation suggests the victim may have parked her car on the shoulder, exited, and started walking in the northbound lanes. Soon afterward she was hit by a passing 18-wheeler.
The woman suffered serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Pedestrian Accident on I-71 in Medina County
Obviously the top priority here is treating the victim's injuries and helping her get back on her feet. To make sure she gets whatever help she can with that, it's important to learn the specifics of what happened out there on the interstate. There are still many lingering questions that need answers.
For instance: If the victim parked her car and started walking, why? Did the car run out of gas or become disabled somehow? Was it just a personal decision by the victim to get out and walk? If so, why? I don't want to speculate about her motives, but that's a crucial question to answer.
Not every question is about the victim, either. There are some concerns about the truck involved in the accident too. Was the driver awake, alert, and paying attention to their surroundings? Could or should they reasonably have seen the victim in their path and done something to avoid her? What were light conditions like? If it was dark out, were the truck's headlights on and clean enough to be effective?
Over the years I've learned that people tend to fill in blanks for themselves if answers aren't available. That kind of guesswork often does more harm than good, which is why it's important to investigate carefully and find answers based on real facts instead. Until someone is able to tell a clearer story, it's best not to assume anything or point fingers. As I said at the start, the focus right now should be on helping the victim in any way possible.
