SWANTON, Ohio — The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report confirming the narrative of the Aug. 15 Ohio Turnpike crashes that killed four people and injured numerous others. The report also indicates the Swanton Toll Plaza - which was subject to some scrutiny - played a role in the initial crash.
According to the NTSB report, which the agency said was subject change following additional investigation, the initial crash occurred around 5:30 a.m. when an SUV slowed down in the high-speed lanes meant for toll booth access. The NTSB report did not include names of the drivers, but the Ohio State Highway Patrol narrative released on Sept. 23 identified the Toyota Highlander SUV driver as Thupten Choedon, who was transporting her husband and two children from Minnesota to New York City.
WTOL 11 previously reported the driver of the SUV told Ohio State Highway Patrol authorities she was confused by the toll plaza, which prompted her to slow down.
The SUV was then rear-ended by a semi-truck, a crash that killed two of the SUV passengers - father Tenzin Drukgyal and 9-year-old son Dawa Norbu, seriously injured the SUV driver Thupten Choedon and her 11-year-old daughter Tenzin Choedon, and seriously injured the driver of the semi-truck, Hashim Hall, 43. It also caused a spill of a hazardous material; NTSB said they had not received any reports of injuries caused by workers cleaning up the spill.
Second turnpike crash
Traffic began to backup following the initial crash. Around 5:54 a.m., 20 minutes after the first crash, five commercial vehicles and one passenger car were involved in a second crash when a semi-truck struck another semi-truck, NTSB said.
Four of the commercial vehicles were damaged, and a post-crash fire damaged the fifth and fatally injured its driver, whose identity has yet to be publicly revealed. The four passengers in the non-commercial car were seriously injured in the crash. This crash also occurred near the toll plaza, according to the report.
Third turnpike crash
A third crash occurred occurred in the westbound lanes at approximately 6:30 a.m., involving a semi-truck that did not stop for slowing traffic. This truck, a 2024 Volvo VNL, hit the rear of a pickup truck towing a trailer as well as two passenger cars. One of those two cars then hit another commercial motor vehicle. This five-vehicle incident resulted in one fatality and seven injuries. As previously reported in the OSHP crash narrative, the semi-truck that struck the pickup was driven by Istam Naimov, who has been charged with failing to maintained assured clear distance and aggravated vehicular homicide. Ajla Vukovic, 20, was killed when Naimov's semi-truck struck the passenger vehicle in which she was traveling.
The crash remains under investigation while the NTSB nails down the probable cause and prepares to issue safety recommendations. Organizations involved in the investigation include the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.