Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, and Nick Bechtel

Ohio

Two people from Michigan died in the wreck

The crash closed the intersection of U.S. 229 and U.S. 223 for several hours

A semi truck driver from Tennessee was arrested after the wreck

WALDO – Two people were killed at the intersection of U.S. 23 and Ohio 229 just south of the Marion-Delaware county line, according to a report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The deceased, 69-year-old Curtis and 71-year-old Patricia Dixon, are from Howell, Mich.

"This is catastrophic," Lt. Kevin Knapp, commander of the Delaware Post, said at the scene of the four-vehicle wreck. "When you shut down a major U.S. route, you have two people dead at your scene and several transported to hospitals, this is a catastrophic crash."

A southbound semi driven by 58-year-old Randall Lee of Christiana, Tenn. failed to assure clear distance ahead while approaching a red light around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Lee hit the Dixons' 2014 Ford Escape, and it slid into a 2007 Kia Rondo driven by 51-year-old Sanjay Dhall of Canton, Mich.

The Ford and the Kia slid to the left and into the median. The semi went through the intersection and struck a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Lewis Fisher, age 55, of Marengo. Fisher was eastbound on Norton Road entering the intersection at a green light. Lee and Fisher's vehicles then went off the southwest corner of the intersection and came to rest.

Dhall was transported to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Fisher and his passenger, 70-year-old Sandra Whitley of Ashley, were taken to Grant Medical Center.

Lee and his passenger, 48-year-old Bobby Macerca of Port Charlotte, Fla., were treated at the scene.

Lee was taken to Delaware County Jail on charges of failure to stop within an assured clear distance ahead and two counts of vehicular homicide. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in this crash.

The highway was shut down for nearly four hours as crews worked at the scene. Fort Morrow Fire District, Elm Valley Fire District and Delaware County EMS were some of the trucks spotted on scene assisting patrol officers.

Prior to Wednesday's crash, there had been four other crashes resulting in fatalities in Delaware County this year according to the patrol's website.

Janice Kissling, who lives close to the intersection, was watching more than two dozen emergency personnel and troopers work at the scene of the double fatality. She said she heard "a bunch of screeching and banging" from her yard before walking to the intersection.

"I've lived here for 52 years," she said. "I know when the accidents are bad by the sound of them. I got down there and it was a mess.

"We haven't had anything like this that bad in some time."

Kissling said she was asked to leave "because it was a crime scene."