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Tractor-Trailer Changing Lanes Triggered Four-Vehicle Crash

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Published: 1/31 9:02 am

Updated: 1/31 3:22 pm

Campbell County investigators released new information on a four-vehicle crash that blocked the AA Highway on Thursday morning and sent three people to the hospital with serious injuries.

The crash happened at 7 a.m. just north of Glenridge.

The preliminary investigation indicated that a tractor trailer driven by Albert Woodard of West Terre Haute, Indiana was traveling northbound on AA Highway in the high speed lane and caught up to a red Chevrolet Malibu in front of him driven by Kathleen B. Markus of Alexandria, Kentucky. Woodard began to change lanes to the slow speed lane and struck a green Hyundai Santa Fe driven by Paul Reis of California, Kentucky. Reis lost control of his vehicle, crossed in front of the tractor-trailer, hit Markus's car, then crossed the median into the path of the black BMW driven by Tafari Love of Cincinnati, Ohio that was traveling southbound on the AA Highway in the high speed lane.

Reis was thrown from his vehicle. Love, his passenger Kim Noble of Cold Spring, Kentucky along with Reis were transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with serious injuries. Markus was checked by the Alexandria Life Squad and refused transportation to the hospital. Woodard was not injured.

The AA highway was closed for five hours while police investigated. They are still determining whether any charges will be filed.

Police are still looking for anyone that may have witnessed the accident this morning. Anyone that did see something is being asked to contact this agency at 859-441-6289. They can ask for Officer Hyett at extension 218 or Detective Ratcliff at extension 212.

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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of WKRC-TV :: Cincinnati Weather and Forecasts, Cincinnati News, Breaking News, and Sports for the Cincinnati area, Ohio, northern Kentucky, Indiana, and the tristate area

HammeringHank - 2/1/2013 2:52 PM

2 Votes

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Its common sense, nothing more, nothing less. If anyone has a problem with why and how a passing lane works, then you are a moron and part of the problem. Obviously if you cant get, you cant get over. Even if Im driving faster and have to pass someone in the left lane, after I pass them, I now get back into the right lane and leave the left lane open. Its when morons just sit in the left lane and do not attempt to drive faster or get over, thats the problem.

SCUT1988 - 2/1/2013 2:23 PM

2 Votes

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I agree, get out of the damn passing lane if your not making a pass. If someone rides your ass its because you are failing to yeild to faster traffic (which is a citable offense) Most people just give you a brake job when they are truly the ones in the wrong! Its called common courtsey people!

Lee62 - 2/1/2013 12:29 PM

1 Vote

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I'm going to go out on a limb & figure the cause of this accident resides with more than just one driver. People use the passing lane for cruising, which you are not supposed to do. People pass on the right, which you are not supposed to do. People weave in and out of traffic so they don't have to (gasp!) slow down, which you're not supposed to do. My guess is, at least three people were driving badly, not paying attention, and not heeding the weather conditions. I read elsewhere that some woman slowed down to 40 mph on a highway because she couldn't see through the blowing snow. She shouldn't have been out there in the first place in my opinion. When she slowed down THAT much, she became a danger to everyone else on the road. Driving like THAT can cause a huge accident, too.

gpsman - 2/1/2013 11:43 AM

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[Woodard began to change lanes to the slow speed lane and struck a green Hyundai Santa Fe driven by Paul Reis of California, Kentucky. Reis lost control of his vehicle, crossed in front of the tractor-trailer, hit Markus's car...] Sounds like Reis was passing on the R at high speed. That might have put him in semi driver's blind spot when he he checked his mirror. I do not mean to suggest the vast majority of truck drivers are not unfit to be licensed.

Ammys2Cuties - 2/1/2013 11:21 AM

1 Vote

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Slower moving traffic - this is what happens SB75 in the snow...semis are restricted, well they are supposed to be, anyway, to the right 2 lanes...when those lanes have a problem, the semis pull over into the left 2 lanes until all the way across the cut in the hill is blocked by stuck semis and no one is going anywhere

zookeeper - 2/1/2013 11:21 AM

0 Votes

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Truck drivers are given a certain amout of time by the copany they work for to get their load delivered. They KNOW you're going to move out of their way before you get hit by them,that's why they go WHERE they want WHEN they want. And if you don't get out of their way,well THAT'S on you.

KYgal - 2/1/2013 9:25 AM

1 Vote

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I drive the AA Highway all the time. You see cars and trucks equally at fault for driving like they have no sense. My biggest complaint are the ones who get in the left lane and stay there without maintaining a constant speed or even driving the posted speed limit. Primarily this lane is meant for drivers to be able to pass a slower vehicle and then they should get OUT of that lane so that other drivers may do the same.

knoll911 - 2/1/2013 8:11 AM

0 Votes

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@trey, that section of the road goes downhill if you are going Northbound, not uphill.

Hawkster8458 - 1/31/2013 10:44 PM

3 Votes

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Sick of trucks thinking they own the road. How many times do we hear these stories? It doesn't matter if it does take them longer to get up a hill. They are suppose to keep an assured clear distance from the vehicle in front of them. I drive the interstate an hour both ways to work every day. I see this constantly and I understand their frustration, but they have to consider how much damage and possible deaths they can do with what they are driving. Many times I look up and all I see are headlights in my rear view mirror. I'll be passing multiple cars in a line and have no where to go. This is totally unacceptable and really ticks me off. Sometimes I feel like pulling a brake job just to make a point but not that crazy. Back off truckers and drive like you are a professional instead of an aggressive driver trying to move people out of your way. I realize the guy back up the road might of ticked you of for pulling out in front or cutting you off but, your down the road now and we didn't do anything to you. So give us a break and don't kill us with your 80,000 pound weapon.

trey122301 - 1/31/2013 10:32 PM

0 Votes

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If any of you "blaming" a truck driver for this accident is a fool with NO common sense. NO tractor trailer and I mean NO tractor trailer can slow down going up a hill. It is far more dangerous for them to slow down. If they hit there breaks on a hill and "slip a gear" or slow down to much they will get stuck. and cause traffic to back up. it is the passenger vehicles responsibility to move over and respect the fact they have a job to do and there doing the best they can. besides 98% of rigs are now governed so that they can not go over 60 miles an hour. the reason the tractor trailers get all the blame for every accident is because there suppose to be professional drivers. well they are like we tell our selves all the time "its not ourselves we have to worry about its the other drivers" and when small cars want to zoom around a truck when it clearly states on there truck "if you CANNOT see my mirrors I CANNOT see you" a semi puts there turn signals on for a reason there warning the drivers behind them that they are changing lanes and for them to hold back until the change of lane is complete. so get your facts straight before you point the finger.

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