Harvey Kaufman, Teresa Markiewicz, 7 Others Injured in Middlefield, OH Crash on Madison Rd
Middlefield, OH — September 20, 2022, Harvey Kaufman, Teresa Markiewicz, and seven other people were injured in a crash on Madison Road in Middlefield.
Authorities say the incident happened around 2:45 p.m. along Madison Road (Rt 528) just north of Kinsman Road (Rt 87). Preliminary investigation suggests a southbound Dodge Caravan on Madison was waiting to make a left turn into a private residence when a box truck hit it from behind. The impact pushed the van left of center and it crashed head-on with a Honda CR-V.
The van's driver Kaufman and three Amish passengers, among them children ages 5 and 2, were transported to area hospitals for treatment of unspecified injuries. CR-V driver Markiewicz and three passengers in the SUV were also taken to hospitals, as was the driver of the box truck.
The investigation continues but speed and alcohol are not suspected as factors.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Harvey Kaufman, Teresa Markiewicz Accident in Middlefield
If preliminary reports have their facts straight it seems a lot like the truck driver may be responsible for the mayhem on Madison Road. After all, if the truck slammed into a stopped minivan and pushed it into the SUV how could that be anything but the truck driver's doing?
That may seem reasonable on paper, but I caution against thinking any accident--especially one with a commercial truck--will be as straightforward as reports might imply. Frustrating as it is, trucking companies rarely accept fault without doing everything they can to avoid it first. Most commonly they point fingers anywhere and everywhere but at their drivers. In Middlefield, for instance, they might "creatively" interpret the details to say the minivan driver stopped suddenly or didn't use a turn signal, or that the crash with the CR-V was actually the proximate, or direct, cause of the victims' injuries.
Some may think I'm just being unfair or cynical, but this comes from decades of working on commercial wrecks. In all that time, I can say with no exaggeration that exactly one company simply admitted fault and tried to make things right. All the others dug in their heels and fought every step of the way against doing the right thing, so victims must understand what to expect and how to deal with it. Click below to read more.
