A 53-year-old Canton man was killed Wednesday when his car collided with the trailer of a semi on State Route 93 in Tuscarawas County, shutting down the roadway as troopers and multiple fire departments rushed in and worked the scene.
The victim, identified as 53-year-old Jeffrey A. Knerr of Canton, was driving a 2008 Nissan Rogue southbound when it failed to stop at a stop sign and hit the commercial trailer of a 2021 Peterbilt that was hauling a tanker, according to WKYC.
Emergency crews from the Strasburg, Wayne Township and Beach City fire departments responded, along with the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office and the county coroner, the station reported. The semi driver suffered injuries in the crash, and officials told WKYC that Knerr was not wearing a safety belt.
Investigators also told the station that impairment is believed to be a factor. The wreck remains under investigation, and the stretch of Route 93 was closed for a time while authorities documented the scene.
Investigation and possible charges
The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s New Philadelphia post is leading the investigation, and troopers are waiting on test results to confirm whether impairment played a role. If testing confirms impairment, related charges would fall under Ohio law: Ohio Revised Code Section 4511.19 covers operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Knerr’s reported failure to wear a seat belt also lines up with enforcement and civil liability rules. Ohio Revised Code Section 4513.263 lays out the state’s occupant-restraining device requirements and related provisions.
Local context
State troopers and local safety officials regularly flag impairment and lack of seat belts as two of the biggest contributors to deadly single-vehicle and intersection crashes. The Blade recently reported that Memorial Day weekend traffic deaths hit an 18-year low statewide, yet traffic-safety officials caution that isolated fatal wrecks like this one continue to cut through those encouraging numbers.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol has asked anyone with information or dash-camera video from the incident to contact the New Philadelphia post, WKYC reported. This story will be updated if officials release additional details.
