Muskingum County, OH — August 6, 2025, Mary Russell was killed in a truck accident at about 1 p.m. on State Route 60 in Blue Rock Township.

Authorities said a northbound International semi-truck rear-ended several vehicles that were stopped in a construction zone. One vehicle was forced off the left side of the road, while a 2024 Jeep Cherokee was forced to the left. The truck also hit the back of a tanker truck.

The driver of the first vehicle, 46-year-old McConnelsville resident Mary Russell, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver was hospitalized with serious injuries after the crash, while Jeep driver Alena Walters and tanker driver Michael Waters suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Muskingum County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear about a crash where a semi-truck rear-ended a line of stopped vehicles in a construction zone, the immediate question that comes to mind is: How does something like that even happen?

That’s exactly the question we need to be asking here. According to reports, a northbound International semi hit several vehicles that were stopped in a construction zone on State Route 60.

But here’s the thing: the reports don’t say why the truck hit those vehicles. That’s the unanswered question. Depending on the circumstances, the explanation could range from gross negligence to mechanical failure, but until the facts are nailed down, we’re all just guessing.

To move beyond guesswork, investigators need to get their hands on hard evidence. That starts with the truck’s black box. It’s likely to show how fast the truck was going, whether the brakes were applied, and what the driver was doing in the moments before impact. If the truck has forward-facing or in-cab cameras, those can provide a clearer picture of road conditions and the driver’s behavior. And phone records may reveal whether the driver was distracted at a critical moment.

Another layer of investigation has to look at the company that put this driver on the road. Did they screen him properly before hiring? Did he have a history of violations? Were there policies in place to prevent fatigue or distraction behind the wheel? You’d be surprised how often companies cut corners on training and oversight, and how often that comes back to bite them.

I've handled cases where trucking companies claimed to "evaluate" drivers with nothing more than a 20-minute road test. That’s not evaluation; that’s a liability waiting to happen. In one instance, a company hired a driver who had been fired multiple times before. When that driver caused a serious crash, it was no surprise. The company had every opportunity to make a better decision, but they chose not to.

In this Ohio crash, someone made a mistake, or maybe several people did. But no one will know for sure until someone steps in to dig out every piece of relevant evidence. That’s how we go from a confusing pile-up to a clear picture of responsibility.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear why the semi-truck failed to stop in a construction zone.
• The truck’s ECM data, dash cam footage and driver phone records are critical to understanding what happened.
• Driver training, hiring and oversight policies may also play a role in accountability.
• A full investigation is necessary to determine whether this was a driver error, company failure or both.
• Getting to the truth means focusing on verifiable evidence, not assumptions.