A Licking County grand jury indicted a Zanesville semi-truck driver for causing a crash that killed six people as they were traveling from Tuscarawas County to Columbus and injured 18 others last year.
Jacob McDonald, 61, is charged with six felony counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, nine felony counts of vehicular assault and 11 misdemeanor counts of assault. McDonald faces up to 49 years in prison if he's convicted on all charges.
A charter bus filled with Tusky Valley High School students was rear-ended in November by a semi truck on I-70 near State Route 310 in a construction zone. Five vehicles were involved in the crash, including passenger vehicles carrying chaperones.
The bus filled with band students and the other vehicles traveling with it were going to the Greater Columbus Convention Center to perform at the Ohio State School Boards Association Conference.
The victims who died were identified as 18-year-old John W. Mosely, of Mineral City; 18-year-old Jeffery D. Worrell, of Bolivar; 15-year-old Katelyn N. Owens, of Mineral City; 56-year-old Dave Kennat, of Navarre; 39-year-old Kristy Gaynor, of Zoar; and 45-year-old Shannon Wigfield, of Bolivar.
Ohio State Highway Patrol filed a report that stated a semi was following a Nissan Murano carrying chaperones too closely prior to the crash.
The report states the chain of vehicles traveling in front of the semi all began braking and the truck crashed into the Murano that was in front of it, overriding it.
The truck then crashed into the Pioneer Trails charter bus causing a fire in both vehicles. The bus crashed into a Toyota Highlander in front of it, making it veer into the left lane. The bus then rear-ended another semi-truck that was leading the chain of cars.
That semi was only traveling 10 mph as the vehicles were approaching the scene of another crash that occurred an hour before.
The National Safety Transportation Board is also investigating the crash.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said she expects there to be safety recommendations issued. She said these recommendations could be key to preventing future crashes from occurring if a glaring problem is found that is believed to have caused the crash.
