A 46-vehicle pile-up on the Ohio Turnpike on December 23 left a pregnant mother of two children and a teenager dead, plus two other victims.
Emma Smith, 19, died in the accident at around 12:30 pm on Friday during devastating blizzards that swept through the country with freezing arctic temperatures and heavy snow.
On Sunday, authorities identified the other victims as Bernard M. Bloniarz, 59, of Ohio, and Julie E. Roth, 37, of Toledo. Police said there was a fourth unnamed victim.
The pile-up was miles-long on the eastbound lanes of the Ohio Turnpike in Groton Township.
A driver who was a witness,Tom Hanus, 40, spoke about the accident to media several days later. He said he was on the road going to visit his granddaughter, and suddenly had to slam on the brakes to avoid the biggest pile-up of vehicles he’d ever seen in his life.
He said the snow was blowing all over the highway and the wind chill made it feel like minus 30 degrees outside.
In spite of the frigid temperature, Hanus was able to assist other people at the crash scene and is happy to have made it out alive.
Sergeant Ryan Purpura of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said that local law enforcement agencies spent several hours investigating the massive crash scene.
The storms across the nation claimed 57 lives, including at least 28 in the Buffalo, New York area.
On a GoFundMe page, Chris Roth, the sister-in-law of the pregnant mother, Julie Roth, wrote, “I’m seeking for support for our family after the devastating loss. Sadly, Julie and her unborn child didn’t survive. Thankfully, her two children did, but they are suffering from multiple injuries they sustained from the accident.”
She wrote that the Roth’s two children were being treated in the hospital.
Numerous people were injured during the crash, but authorities have not confirmed the numbers.
