Charles Simmons Killed in Traffic Accident on I-70 in Springfield Twp, OH
Springfield Township, OH — December 20, 2022, 32-year-old Charles Simmons died in a three-vehicle accident on Interstate 70 in Springfield Township.
Authorities say the incident happened around 6:00 a.m. on westbound I-70 near mile marker 52. Preliminary investigation suggests Simmons was driving a Nissan Altima west on the highway when he was involved in a crash and his vehicle became disabled. Soon afterward a Freightliner 18-wheeler approached and hit the Nissan, after which both vehicles ran off the right side of the road and caught fire.
Simmons was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Charles Simmons Accident in Springfield Twp
One thing the news doesn't clearly explain is the exact timing of events on I-70. What do I mean? Mostly that careful investigation should be conducted to find out exactly how much time passed between when the victim's car became disabled in the road and when it was hit by the big rig.
A crash with only moments between those events might ultimately look similar to one where a few minutes passed, but those situations could be regarded quite differently by the law. If further investigation found that the truck driver could or should reasonably have stopped or steered clear rather than hitting the Nissan, then clearly it's important to find out why that didn't happen. Likewise, closer scrutiny could determine there was little the truck driver could have done differently.
I'm not pointing fingers or saying I know something police don't--just hoping that appropriate time and care will be taken to learn the whole story. When someone is hurt or killed in an accident it's important not to jump to any conclusions, but instead to investigate carefully and find all the available facts. Will police efforts alone be enough to get answers for the people who need them?
