CLEVELAND — As federal investigators continue looking for answers in this month’s deadly chain-reaction crash that killed six people in Licking County, new details are emerging about safety issues involving two trucking companies.
One of those companies, Mid State Systems Inc., has been fined more than $4,000 by the Ohio Public Utilities Commission in the last four years, according to state records.
The PUCO regulates trucking companies in the state.
According to investigators, it was the driver for Mid State Systems that started the Nov. 14 crash on Interstate 70 that killed three Tusky Valley High School students and three chaperones accompanying the school’s band on a trip to Columbus.
Ohio State troopers said the company’s truck driver hit an SUV driving in front of him that slowed for traffic. According to a crash report, the impact pushed that SUV into the bus the band was traveling on, triggering a firey, chain-reaction crash.
PUCO records show days before that crash, Mid State Systems reached a settlement with the state, agreeing to pay $805 for violations found during an August inspection of one of the company’s other 33 trucks.
In that case, inspectors said the truck’s hazardous materials were not properly labeled, and the truck was taken out of service for issues with the brake hose or tubing.
Records also show the 60-year-old driver, who was behind the wheel at the time of the deadly crash, was found violating rules dictating how long a driver could spend on duty last year.
Those records also show the same man was the driver when inspectors ordered two Mid State Systems trucks off the road in 2020 and 2021 for violations centered around the trucks’ brake systems.
What’s not clear is whether there were any safety violations at the time of the November crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. So far, no criminal charges have been filed.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration gives Mid State Systems a “satisfactory” safety rating.
In an email to ABC News, Lee Zazworksy of Mid State Systems said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families [affected] by this tragic accident. Since this matter is still under investigation, we will reserve further comment at this time.”
The Public Utilities Commission also sent a letter to another trucking company involved in the crash, notifying GA Wintzer & Son Co of apparent violations found during an inspection after the crash.
According to a copy of the Notice of Apparent Violation and Intent to Assess Forfeiture, the state fined the GA Wintzer & Son $100 for violations, including issues with that truck’s brake system.
Investigators said the company’s truck was hit from behind in the crash.
In an email Thursday, the company’s president said he disagreed with those findings and blamed the problems with the truck on the crash.
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