Snowplow driver fired

Appreciate news from your community? Click here to subscribe to the Register. MILAN TWP. — The snowplow driver who sent a spray of ice and debris over an Ohio Turnpike median last month was fired for what the turnpike commission is calling an "egregious" accident. A turnpike snowplow driver who injured 18 people and damaged 55 cars has lost his job for "engaging in grossly negligent behavior," according to a statement issued by his former employer, the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission. The driver, a 54-year-old Berea resident, was caught on video showering oncoming lanes of highway traffic in slush as he plowed the shoulder of the westbound lane. The incident happened on Jan. 23 at milepost 117, near the U.S. 250 interchange in the Milan area. The commission released a statement Tuesday that said the driver had been let go, citing a clause that allows for immediate termination without prior warning for "the most serious offenses." "This was an isolated incident involving a single snowplow operator," turnpike executive director Ferzan Ahmed said. "It is not representative of our employees or our operations." The majority of injuries were minor, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol. The patrol's Milan post commander, Lt. Brett Gockstetter, said the most serious injuries were facial lacerations and a broken nose. Fifty-five cars sustained damage from flying ice or the consequential crashes that ensued. The turnpike commission said that, as of Tuesday, 51 people have filed property damage claims with the commission. The incident is being investigated by the highway patrol, and the preliminary crash reports were sent to the Erie County prosecutor's office to determine if criminal charges will be pursued against the driver. Affected vehicle owners who require assistance related to the snowplow incident can contact the turnpike's customer service center at (440) 971-2222. Claims of property damage may be filed at https://www.ohioturnpike.org/travelers/property-damage-claim.