Charles Oliver Jr., 55, dies in fatal Harrison County car crash
Fatal Harrison County car crash death of Charles Oliver Jr., 55
Harrison County authorities reported a fatal multi-vehicle collision on state Route 151 occurred at 3:27 p.m. on June 27th. The Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed Charles Oliver Jr., a 55-year-old man from Canton, was killed when his vehicle was struck by a large truck.
According to the Steubenville patrol post, a westbound GMC Yukon XL, driven by Carolyn Sanderlin (25) of Minerva, was pulling a utility trailer. Following this Yukon XL was a Chevrolet Suburban piloted by Randy Reed Jr. (38) from Minerva.
The Yukon driver reportedly lost control, crossing the center line and veering off the left edge of the road. A semi-truck from Pennsylvania, driven by Thomas Kirkland (46) of Marion Center, attempted to avoid the Yukon but collided with the left side of its trailer.
This impact resulted in the semi-truck striking the passenger vehicle and subsequently catching fire. The fire department worked to extinguish the blaze. The medical examiner’s office is expected to release further findings regarding the cause of Mr. Oliver’s death.
All individuals involved in the accident were buckled into their seats at the time. While the news release did not specify injuries to other drivers, patrol availability for comment was limited. The crash site, located two miles west of Bowerston, is still being investigated.
Due to significant damage from the accident and the resulting fire, the Ohio Department of Transportation has indefinitely closed Route 151 between U.S. Route 250 and Bowerston while repairs are carried out.
