Water tank hits car on I-675; driver hurt

The trailer came loose and went into the median. The water tank separated from the trailer and hit the woman’s car as it traveled northbound on I-675.

Staff photo by Ty Greenlees The trailer came loose and went into the median. The water tank separated from the trailer and hit the woman’s car as it traveled northbound on I-675.

ENLARGE PHOTO

The crash pushed the woman’s vehicle down a ravine. Paramedics had to cut door off to free the woman, who was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Staff photo by Ty Greenlees The crash pushed the woman’s vehicle down a ravine. Paramedics had to cut door off to free the woman, who was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Photos: Water tank hits car

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A woman was injured when a 700-gallon water tank broke loose from a trailer and struck the driver's door of her car, forcing it into a ravine on north bound I-675 at about 8:00 a.m. on Monday, November 2, 2009. The door of her car had to be cut away to extract her according to Fairborn Fire Battalion Chief David Reichert.

Staff photo by Ty Greenlees A woman was injured when a 700-gallon water tank broke loose from a trailer and struck the driver's door of her car, forcing it into a ravine on north bound I-675 at about 8:00 a.m. on Monday, November 2, 2009. The door of her car had to be cut away to extract her according to Fairborn Fire Battalion Chief David Reichert.

By Ty Greenlees and Steve Bennish
Staff Writers Updated 12:30 AM Tuesday, November 3, 2009

FAIRBORN — A 700-gallon plastic water tank came off a trailer and struck a car, forcing the vehicle into a ravine and injuring the driver.

The accident happened on Interstate 675, just north of Ohio 235, at 7:55 a.m. Monday, Nov. 2.

According to Fairborn Battalion Chief David Reichert, a man was driving south on I-675 in a pickup truck that had a trailer hauling the water tank. The trailer came loose from the vehicle and went into the median. The water tank separated from the trailer and hit a woman’s car headed north on I-675, pushing the vehicle down a ravine. Paramedics had to cut the door off to free the woman, identified as Michelle Brewer, 29, of Harveysburg. She was taken to Miami Valley Hospital for treatment .

The truck driver, whose name was not available, was cited for having an unsecured load and for hit-and-run, Fairborn Sgt. Paul Hicks said.

Ron Melancon of Richmond, Va., who runs the Web site DangerousTrailers.org, said an estimated 102 people have died in Ohio since 1975 from accidents that involved passenger cars towing trailers.

Melancon is an advocate for national standards governing all trailers. He added that for safety’s sake, at minimum trailers should be required to have reflective tape, safety chains and a two-hour required course for all those who operate them.

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