Two arrested after fatal hit/skip crash on I-480 ..Loose Trailer Hit and Run

Two arrested after fatal hit/skip crash on I-480

November 19, 2009

by Emily Canning-Dean

Reporter

Twinsburg -- Two men are expected to be bound over to Summit County Court of Common Pleas after police charged them in connection with a fatal hit-skip accident Sept. 15, when a Utility trailer became unhitched and rolled into the path of Ravenna motorcyclist on Interstate 480.

Police arrested Ricky L. Melton, 55, of Stow, and Michael H. Rusu, 54, of Akron, Nov. 16 at the Twinsburg Police Department.

Melton and Rusu are charged with one count each of involuntary manslaughter, theft and receiving stolen property. Melton, who police say was driving, also was charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident.

Neither Melton nor Rusu, nor attorneys representing them, could immediately be reached for comment.

Police Sgt. Greg Feketik said Melton and Rusu allegedly stole a trailer from a Dutton Drive business Sept. 15. While they were traveling eastbound on I-480 just east of Route 91, the trailer became unhitched from their vehicle.

The trailer crossed the median, and motorcyclist Michael K. Hull, 48, of Ravenna, struck the trailer, was ejected from the motorcycle and landed in the westbound lanes, where police say two other vehicles struck him.

Melton and Rusu continued traveling east on I-480 without stopping, police said.

Hull was flown to Akron City Hospital, where he died Sept. 30 due to injuries from the crash, according to police.

Feketik said Twinsburg police contacted Melton after discovering that the license plate on the trailer, which was in the police department's possession, belonged to him.

Melton and Rusu went to the Twinsburg Police Department Nov. 16 and were arrested and charged.

They were arraigned Nov. 17 at Stow Municipal Court, but did not enter a plea at that time. Bond was set at $500,000 cash for both defendants. As of Nov. 17, they were in Twinsburg jail, but were expected to be transported to Summit County jail.

E-mail: aschunk@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3172

Freak accident kills tanker truck driver

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Freak accident kills tanker truck driver

Tagged with: Fort St. John accident Tanker truck driver dead trailer causes fatal accident

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FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – A tragic collision has killed the 25-year-old driver of a tanker truck after a trailer being hauled by a pickup came loose and flew into the path of the tanker.

Police said a pickup hauling a trailer containing oil field equipment was westbound on Cecil Lake Road while the tanker truck was going eastbound.

“The trailer, which contained oil field servicing equipment, became dislodged from the westbound pickup truck. The trailer then struck the east bound International tanker truck,” said an RCMP statement.

“As a result of the collision, the driver of the tanker truck immediately succumbed to his injuries. There were no other occupants in the tanker truck and the sole occupant of the Ford pickup was not injured,” RCMP said.

Police closed Cecil Lake Road to investigate the crash.

Both vehicle have been seized for inspection and no charges have been laid yet.

Police said the driver of the tanker truck killed in the crash had lived in the Fort St. John area.

No name was disclosed.

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Runaway trailer unstoppable

DAVID KILLICK

January 04, 2010 09:12am

A HOBART motorist says it is astonishing nobody was killed by a runaway Southern Water trailer.

The trailer destroyed his car and a utility pole at Derwent Park.

The trailer was being towed along Derwent Park Rd on Tuesday afternoon when it broke loose and careened out of control down the street, firefighter Darren Hill said.

"The truck was heading west and the trailer A-frame has separated from the trailer," he said.

"He's started to slow down and the trailer has passed him and come across into the opposing direction of traffic and has hit the telegraph pole and my car at the same time."

The front of the two-year-old Suzuki Swift was crushed by the impact.

"You've got 2½ tonnes rolling at that speed, the kinetic energy is just unstoppable," Mr Hill said.

"My car was pushed 30 metres back against the flow of traffic into Gormanston Rd.

"The car was in park, the handbrake was applied and it has still pushed it 30 metres along the road.

"It was immensely dangerous.

"They had to replace the power pole. We were just lucky school was out and no one was injured.

"If that had happened in North Hobart with all the outdoor dining it would have been an absolute massacre."

Southern Water's manager of urban wastewater Len Bester said the incident appeared to be a freak accident.

"The trailer in question is leased and it's only a bit over one year old. It's used for high water-pressure drain cleaning so it's a fairly heavy trailer," he said.

"It's not one we would expect to be doing too many inspections on.

"It wasn't overloaded or anything like that. It hasn't been modified.

"We had the unit inspected and things like that but it's just one of those things where the drawbar just snapped off completely."

http://ww.examiner.com/x-4821-Phoenix-RV-Travel-Examiner~y2010m2d5-RVing-201-safety-in-towing-vehicles-horsetrailer-breaks-loose-from--RV1-horse-killed?#comments

RVing 201, safety in towing vehicles, horsetrailer breaks loose from RV, horse killed, Sun City, AZ

We RVers are obligated and responsible for doing everything within our ability to make certain that our towed vehicles are securely attached to our RVs. Further, the tires on the Toad, brakes, and other mechanical parts should be in good, safe condition to prevent an accident with the Toad that may endanger the life of the RV occupants or others.

In an unusual accident near Phoenix today, Feb. 5, 2010, a horse trailer came loose from the RV and apparently rolled across the road and overturned alongside the highway. Based on the video and brief report posted online the trailer appeared to be a 3 horse slant and was carrying 3 horses and tack. One of the horses was reportedly killed and the other two were injured. Fortunately, no other vehicles were involved in this accident. I STAND CORRECTED! THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL TYPE OF ACCIDENT! THANKS TO A COMMENT BY A READER, PLEASE BE ALERTED TO THE WEBSITE: www.dangeroustrailers.org Based on information provided by this website more than 15,000 people have been killed and more than 400,000 injured during the past 40 years due to loose trailer accidents on our nation's highways.

Whereas it is very unusual for a vehicle to detach from an RV when properly secured, it is not impossible. I have personally seen 2 tow dolly accidents along the highway, have seen ball hitches that have loosened and the ball has come out of the hitch, broken trailer tongues and similar accidents. Further, it is not uncommon when pins, bolts, hitch clamps and other tow devices have not been properly secured before being towed along the highway.

This short note is simply a call for RVers to be extra careful while towing trailers loaded with animals, ATVs, boats, household goods, cars, trucks, and any other item that can disconnect and cause harm to individuals or other vehicles. Too often, very little attention is given to the weight of the trailer, the distribution of the weight, the condition of tires, holddown straps and to poorly secured equipment and materials in the trailer.

However, this plea is not limited to RVers, but also to pickup trucks, cars, vans, SUVs and any other towing vehicle. While driving along the interstate systems in the southwest, especially on weekends and in hunting season, it seems that 20 to 40% of pickup trucks are towing a trailer loaded with ATVs, sandrails, etc.

Let us all be more careful, beginning right now!

Loose trailer causes fatal crash Found Archive

Loose trailer causes fatal crash

Last updated 19:56 10/12/2008

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One person is dead after a trailer collided with a vehicle just north of Whakapara, 23km northwest of Whangarei, this evening.

The trailer had come loose from its towing vehicle and collided with another vehicle about 7pm, Inspector Jacqueline Whittaker of northern police communications said.

A baby had been taken to hospital with critical injuries and one person remained trapped, she said.

Diversions were in place on Jordan Valley Road and Hukeranui Road.

- NZPA

Web Posted: 02/08/2010 11:37 CST

One killed, three injured in Bulverde wreck

By Jennifer R. Lloyd - Express-News

A New Braunfels woman died and three other people were injured in a three-vehicle wreck in Bulverde Saturday morning, according to the Bulverde Police Department.

The wreck occurred at 11:25 a.m. Saturday on Texas 46, one mile east of Blanco Road. Terry Louise Thompson, 56, was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace William Schroeder, said Lt. Gary Haecker of the Bulverde Police Department.

A Ford truck pulling a 16-foot trailer loaded with bricks was eastbound on Texas 46 when the driver lost control of the vehicle and went into the westbound lane of traffic, Haecker said. A witness stated that the trailer began swaying and that's when the driver appeared to lose control, Haecker said.

The truck collided with a Lexus SUV. A Toyota van traveling behind the Lexus was also involved in the crash. Thompson was a passenger in the Lexus and was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the wreck, Haecker said.

The driver of the Lexus, Vincent Solito, 57, of New Braunfels was taken to University Hospital along with an 11-year-old passenger. The driver of the Ford, Wael Deeb, 46, of San Antonio was also taken to University Hospital, according to police.