On September 29, 2023, a 17-year-old Ohio teen was driving west on United States Highway 40. Recklessly, she decided to pass two tracks in a no-passing zone, which ultimately caused a fatal wreck that took the lives of five people. When shown the footage of the event, the teen reacted by saying: "Oh, sh**. Yeah. Oh, my goodness. Yep, totally my bad. Wow. Holy sh**."
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This reaction comes from an interview conducted by the Wright State Campus Police Department. It took place on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. Said interview tells the then-teen's version of the events and is filled with out-of-touch statements. For example, when asked if she wanted a lawyer, she replied "Do I need one? What the hell?"
Nevertheless, she narrated the events to the investigators. According to her, she and the trucks entered the US-40 highway after encountering a crash on the 781. "I was behind several trucks. I was behind this, this boxy maybe trailer or RV. And he was going super duper slow, so I passed him." When asked about the truck, she said: "I heard that maybe it flipped."
She continued: "I did not see a crash, hear a crash or anything. I just remember seeing the emergency vehicles coming the other way. Basically, I just thought like it happened behind me." The teen then continued making her way back to Ohio. "I just went on my merry way. I had no idea a truck flipped behind me."
The Fatal Crash
Back in 2023, after the teen passed the truck, the truck was forced off the road. It lost control and spilled anhydrous ammonia, which is a very toxic gas. According to reports, the truck lost control after the teen's minivan tried to re-enter the right lane. The then-teen was driving her minivan straight toward incoming traffic.
"The driver of the combination vehicle sustained injuries as a result of the crash and exposure to the anhydrous ammonia gas," reads the preliminary report. "Additionally, five people in the area of the crash died and 11 others sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe due to their exposure to anhydrous ammonia."
The preliminary report also details the victims of the fatal crash. "As a result of the crash and subsequent release of anhydrous ammonia from the cargo tank, five people sustained fatal anhydrous ammonia exposure injuries," reads the report. "Eight other people sustained serious exposure injuries requiring hospitalization for over 48 hours, and four people sustained minor exposure injuries."
The victims were three adults and two children, who were 7 and 10 years old.
