OSP: Trucker possibly distracted, not impaired, in Canfield crash that killed Trooper
CANFIELD The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports that the driver whose tractor-trailer rear-ended an OSP cruiser last month in Canfield Township, killing the Trooper inside, may have been distracted at the time of the crash on State Route 11, but was not impaired by drugs or alcohol.
According to a crash report obtained by 21 News, the investigating Trooper found that 35-year-old Ryan Rach of Canfield was allegedly distracted by an unknown factor on October 16 when his truck rear-ended the OSP cruiser, pushing it into another tractor-trailer stopped in front of the cruiser.
Although Rach wasn’t injured, the crash proved fatal for Trooper Nicholas Cayton, who was in the cruiser at the time of the accident.
Sixty-five-year-old Nelson Vasquez of Florida, the driver of the disabled truck parked in front of Trooper Cayton’s cruiser, had been standing outside of his cab and was struck by his truck’s trailer during the impact. Vasquez was flown to Mercy Hospital in Youngstown with serious injuries.
The crash report states that Rach submitted to breath and blood tests, which indicated no alcohol or drugs.
All three vehicles sustained disabling damage, according to the report.
Troopers spent nine hours on the scene during their investigation.
As of Tuesday morning, no charges had been filed in Mahoning County courts.
However, the patrol says its investigation is still ongoing.
