Union County Man Killed in Multiple Vehicle Crash in Clark County

Two crashes resulted in injuries and one crash was fatal

SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating three crashes that occurred on Nov. 9 on eastbound Interstate 70 near the Enon Road exit in Mad River Township.

The first crash occurred at approximately 4:45 a.m., when a Chevrolet Malibu, operated by Jordan April, 41, Springfield, swerved to avoid a deer laying in the roadway. April lost control of her vehicle and was struck by a Kenworth semi-tractor trailer combination, operated by Thomas Hawthorne, 67, Coshocton. Both vehicles came to rest in the roadway.

Following the crash, a 2021 Toyota Corolla, operated by Adrian Espino, 34, Dayton, struck the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu disabled in the middle lane from first crash. The Chevrolet Malibu struck pedestrian, Jordan April.

First responders arrived on scene following the first two crashes and began to render aid to those involved and process the scene. A fire engine from the Mad River Township Fire & EMS Department was parked in the lanes on the right side of the roadway with its emergency lights activated. At approximately 5:08 a.m., a Ford Fusion, operated by Elvis Kikuba, 21, Milford Center, stopped in the roadway while attempting to merge to the middle lane, due to the right lane being closed.

A short time later, the Ford Fusion was struck by a Volvo semi-tractor trailer combination, operated by Orce Spasovski, 52, Beverly Shores, Ind. The impact caused the Ford Fusion to strike a guardrail and the Kenworth semi-tractor trailer combination from the initial crash. The passenger of the Ford Fusion, Musa Kimuli, 33, Milford Center, was ejected and the Volvo semi-tractor trailer combination then struck the fire engine. The Volvo semi-tractor trailer combination continued off the left side of the roadway and struck the median concrete barrier wall.

Kikuba was transported by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Kimuli and April were transported by ambulance to Mercy Health Springfield Regional Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Hawthorne and Spasovski were not injured.

Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Mad River Township Fire & EMS Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The crashes remain under investigation and no charges have been filed at this time.