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19 Investigates: DOT inspected trucking, charter bus companies and found violations prior to deadly Ohio crash

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19 Investigates: DOT inspected trucking, charter bus companies and found violations prior to deadly Ohio crash


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The charter bus and trucking companies involved in a deadly crash in Licking County have been inspected dozens of times over the past two years by the Department of Transportation, prompting numerous safety-related violations, according to records uncovered by 19 Investigates.

Six people were killed and at least 18 injured following a multi-vehicle crash on I-70 Tuesday morning that involved a semi-truck and a tour bus carrying students from Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Pioneer Trails, the operator of the charter bus, is a family-owned company based in Millersburg, Ohio that has been in business for over 33 years.

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Pioneer’s largest charter bus carries 56 passengers, according to the company’s website.

19 Investigates scanned through DOT reports, which document the company’s inspection and safety history over the past 24 months.

During that time, we found Pioneer Trails was inspected 91 times by the DOT, received 9 violations, and was involved in one crash with a non-fatal injury.

This past July, records show the tour bus company was also cited for having leaky brake connections under the vehicle. In May 2022, Pioneer was hit with five violations, including for having defective emergency exit windows, insufficient warning devices, and failing to inspect or use emergency equipment.

In June 2022, a driver was cited for operating a charter bus without a CDL license, which is required by law.

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Reports show that in 2017, Pioneer Trails was fined $11,560 for not doing drug or alcohol testing on a driver after having an accident outside of the country.

In 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported that since Pioneer Trails had four violations in the past 24 months, “Pioneer was cited with one or more acute/critical violations…therefore, this carrier may be prioritized for an intervention action and roadside inspection.”

19 Investigates also dug into the safety and inspection history Mid State Systems Inc., the company whose semi-truck crashed into the back of the tour bus and caught fire.

Mid State Systems operates out of Hebron in Licking County, less than 10 miles from where the crash happened in Etna.

On its website, Mid State Systems states it has been operating for more than 35 years.

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Federal records show the company transports chemicals, paper products, and “general freight.”

According to the FMCSA, the trucking company has had no reported fatal crashes or any involving injuries during the past two years.

Records show the company had a total over 38 inspections during that time, including 17 hazmat inspections.

Two hazmat inspections resulted in an ‘out of service’ status, meaning one or more violations was found. That percentage is higher than the national average, according to DOT.

A company representative said ‘no comment’ when contacted by 19 Investigates on Tuesday.

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Cleveland, OH

Ravens Using Veteran DE as Inspiration

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Ravens Using Veteran DE as Inspiration


As Baltimore Ravens defensive end Brent Urban prepares for his 11th NFL season, it’s just as important as ever for him to remember where he came from.

A Mississauga, Ontario native, Urban suffered a torn ACL during his 2010 freshman season at Virginia, but rebounded to eventually become a starting defensive lineman. Then once he got to the NFL, he suffered three season-ending injuries – a torn ACL in 2014, a torn bicep in 2015 and a Lisfranc foot injury in 2017 – all in his first four seasons. As a result, he played just 25 games across those four seasons, 16 of them coming in 2016.

Urban, now in his second stint with the Ravens, has certainly been through the wringer throughout his career, but his perserverance to get where he is now is extremely impressive. As such, head coach John Harbaugh is using Urban’s story as inspiration for his younger teammates.

“I’m going to start using [Brent Urban] as an example for those guys, because it’s a perfect point,” Harbaugh told reporters. “I can remember him right over there, we were doing an inside-run drill against the [San Francisco] 49ers when we had the joint practices all of those years ago, and he tore his ACL right at the end of practice. It was like, ‘Oh.’ It was so heartbreaking, and [he] missed that whole year.

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“We had high hopes for him coming out, we thought he was an odd-front defensive end in the Pittsburgh Steeler kind of realm, like the Brett Keisels of the world, and he’s turned out to be just that. He’s just that kind of player; he plays so well. But those first couple of years were tough, and here he is now. He’s got a testimony as a result of all the tests he’s been through.”

After his first stint with the Ravens came to an end in 2019, Urban has played for the Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys. He then returned to Baltimore in 2022, and last season, he set a career high with three sacks.

Now the veteran on the Ravens’ defensive line, Urban is happy to be a mentor to the younger players at his position group.

“Just being in the league is privilege,” Urban said. “Every single day, you’ve just got to relish it, because you see so many guys in and out, and just even looking at my class now, nobody’s still around; so just finding your own role, just appreciating it. As I get older, I’ve started to be able to take a seat back and really just appreciate how thankful I am to be here.”

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Cleveland, OH

GCSC Summer Golf Classic | Greater Cleveland Sports Commission

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GCSC Summer Golf Classic | Greater Cleveland Sports Commission


Get Your Golf On!
Golfers of all abilities are invited to play in GCSC’s Summer Golf Classic presented by First National Bank on Monday, August 5, 2024 at Cleveland Metroparks Sleepy Hollow.
Join us for a day of 18 holes with cart featuring beverages, contests & prizes, lunch and a buffet dinner.
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Cleveland, OH

Fatal shooting on east side after reports of large fight: Cleveland Police

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Fatal shooting on east side after reports of large fight: Cleveland Police


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – One man is dead after a shooting following reports of a large fight on the east side, according to Cleveland Police.

Police got reports of a large fight around 2:50 a.m. on Saturday in the 1000 block of East 71st Street.

While officers were en route, they learned that two people were shot.

Police located a 22-year-old man and a 24-year-old man who were both shot, according to a release.

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Both of the men were taken to the hospital by EMS.

The 22-year-old man later died at the hospital.

The condition of the 24-year-old is unknown.

Cleveland Police homicide unit is investigating, according to police.

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