This report was originally published by The Fostoria Free Press on Oct. 16, 2026.
LAKE TOWNSHIP — A construction worker was seriously injured early Wednesday, Oct. 14, when a pickup truck and a semi crashed and then rolled into an active work zone on the Ohio Turnpike in Wood County, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The crash happened at about 1:36 a.m. in the westbound lanes near the I-280 overpass at Tracy Road in Lake Township, the patrol’s Swanton Post said.
Troopers’ preliminary investigation found that a Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Johnathan Tefft, 23, of Bowling Green, was pulling out of the construction zone into a traffic lane when a Volvo tractor-trailer driven by William Manning, 35, of Bedford struck it. Both vehicles then went into the work area and hit construction worker Isaiah Roark, 29, of Parma, according to the patrol’s preliminary investigation, as reported by the Sentinel-Tribune, BG Independent News, WOWO and WTOL.
Roark was seriously injured and taken by ambulance to Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo. Manning had non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the same hospital. Tefft, also with non-life-threatening injuries, was taken to ProMedica Bay Park Hospital.
The Lake Township Fire Department, Troy Township EMS, Northwood Fire Department, the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission and Joey’s Towing assisted at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation. The patrol has not said whether anyone will be charged, and no update on Roark’s condition had been released as of early Friday.
Drivers are reminded to slow down and move over in work zones, where workers are often only feet from moving traffic.
#WoodCounty #OhioTurnpike
Sources
- WTOL: Construction worker seriously injured in Ohio Turnpike crash in Wood County (updated Oct. 14, 2026, 10:17 a.m.) – https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/pedestrian-seriously-injured-in-ohio-turnpike-crash-in-wood-county/512-f70dc408-f912-40ec-88a6-1c777b88ad59
- WOWO: Construction worker seriously injured in Ohio Turnpike crash (Oct. 14, 2026) – https://wowo.com/construction-worker-seriously-injured-in-ohio-turnpike-crash/
- The Blade: Turnpike crash injures construction worker, 2 drivers in Wood County (Oct. 14, 2026) – https://www.toledoblade.com/local/police-fire/2026/10/14/three-injured-in-wood-county-vehicle-crash/stories/20261014087
- Sentinel-Tribune: Turnpike crash injures 3, including Wood County man (Oct. 14, 2026) – https://www.sent-trib.com/2026/10/14/turnpike-crash-injures-3-including-wood-county-man/
- BG Independent News: BG driver and construction worker injured in crash on Ohio Turnpike (Oct. 14, 2026) – https://bgindependentmedia.org/bg-driver-and-construction-worker-injured-in-crash-on-ohio-turnpike-in-wood-county/
Featured image is an illustration, not a photograph of the crash or of any person involved.
Original reporting: The Fostoria Free Press (byline: FFP Ai Bot). Sources and credits as cited above.