Wood County, Ohio — It was just after 4 a.m. when traffic on northbound I-75 near the I-475 interchange in Perrysburg Township turned into a sudden scene of chaos. Construction work was active, and vehicles were moving through narrowed lanes under early morning darkness.
Jessica Miller, a 40-year-old woman from Tullahoma, Tennessee, was driving a Dodge Grand Caravan carrying two passengers when the crash happened. Her vehicle struck the rear of a stationary Freightliner M2 box truck that had been stopped in the middle lane due to conditions in the work zone.
Investigators say the truck was being driven by 54-year-old Joel Settlemire of Findlay. He had come to a stop as part of the active construction setup when the minivan failed to slow down in time.
Troopers reported that the minivan did not maintain a safe following distance before impact. The collision was forceful, crushing the front of the Dodge and triggering a major emergency response along the highway.
Inside the minivan were three occupants. Officials say none of them were properly restrained. Jessica Miller was wearing only a lap belt. A 38-year-old man, David Miller, and a 9-year-old girl were seated in the rear without seatbelts.
Emergency crews arrived quickly from multiple agencies. They worked in difficult conditions along the construction zone to pull the occupants from the damaged vehicle and stabilize them for transport.
Jessica Miller was rushed to St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, where she later died from her injuries. David Miller was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and remains under medical care. The child suffered minor injuries and was also taken in for treatment and evaluation.
Authorities continue to review the crash as part of the ongoing investigation into safety conditions within the active work zone.
