Erie County, OH — July 8, 2025, injuries were reported after a truck accident at about 3:30 p.m. on the Thomas A. Edison Memorial Bridge on State Route 2.

Authorities said a garbage truck was heading east when it crashed into multiple vehicles on the bridge as construction caused traffic congestion.

A 2016 Toyota Camry, a 2017 Kia Soul, a 2015 Mercedes Benz, a 2018 Mercedes Benz, a 2006 GMC Yukon, a 2015 GMC Terrain and a 2014 Ford Escape were impacted by the collision, but authorities said they have not sorted out the extent of driver injuries at this time.

Authorities have not released any additional information at the Erie County crash. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read about a garbage truck slamming into a line of vehicles on a bridge, most assume the driver just wasn’t paying attention. That might be true, but we don’t know yet. What’s clear is that several vehicles were damaged and at least some people were hurt. What’s not clear is why the crash happened, or who, if anyone, could have prevented it.

Authorities say traffic had slowed due to construction, which raises some immediate questions. Did the truck driver come upon the congestion too fast? Was he distracted? Did his brakes fail? Or was there some other hazard on the bridge that we haven’t been told about? At this point, we’re left guessing because the most important details haven’t been shared.

Getting to the truth here means looking beyond surface explanations. Was the garbage truck equipped with in-cab cameras or an engine control module (ECM)? These tools can show whether the driver braked, swerved or accelerated in the moments before the crash. Investigators will also need to examine the driver’s cell phone records and hours-of-service logs to rule out fatigue or distraction.

It’s also worth asking whether the truck driver was qualified and properly trained for the job. I’ve handled cases where drivers were rushed through the hiring process without meaningful vetting, sometimes with prior firings or red flags ignored. If something like that happened here, the company’s role could be just as important as the driver’s.

Right now, with so many vehicles involved and injuries still being assessed, the most important thing is a thorough, independent investigation. That’s the only way to sort out what really happened and make sure the right parties are held accountable.

Key Takeaways:

• Authorities haven’t said why the garbage truck failed to stop for slowed traffic.
• Black box data, in-cab video and cell phone records could clarify the driver’s actions.
• Driver history and employer training policies may come under scrutiny if mistakes were made.
• Construction zones require heightened awareness; whether that happened here is unknown.
• Sorting out responsibility requires more evidence than what’s currently been released.