Earlier this week, one driver caught a snowplow on dashcam dumping snow onto cars driving down a highway in Ohio. This truck damaged 40 cars in the incident and caused 12 injuries. The Ohio Department of Transportation does not manage this particular highway but has been assisting the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission in the investigation.

What was this rogue snowplow doing and how did this happen?

According to News 5 Cleveland, a truck equipped with a snowplow was traveling down the Ohio Turnpike on Sunday when another driver caught it on dashcam. Around 1:45 PM, the Ohio State Highway Patrol started getting calls of a rogue snowplow driver damaging cars while driving down the highway. The large plume of snow sent cars careening off the road after being damaged or trying to avoid the damage.

According to Sgt. Ray Santiago, Troopers discovered that the snowplow truck was traveling westbound on the inside lane. This sent snow and ice over to the highway’s eastbound lanes, striking over 40 vehicles in its wake. The incident also caused injuries to 12 people.

Michael Lemon was driving a truck in the eastbound lanes when his dashcam captured the incident on camera. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I didn’t know how to react, I was just dumbfounded that somebody could be so reckless,” Lemon said to News 5 Cleveland.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is investigating the snowplow incident

An independent company that is not the Ohio Department of Transportation manages this highway. The independent company hired this snowplow to remove snow from the highway, but not in this manner. Since the snowplow was going at an estimated speed of 70 mph, it caused the snow and ice to land on the other side of the highways. It landed on cars traveling at similar speeds, which caused accidents, smashed windshields, broken bumpers, and other problems.

One person, Marisa Scipione, said the plume of slush damaged her vehicle’s axel to the point that it is no longer driveway. “We have never experienced anything like that. It was the scariest thing. When it hit us, everybody slammed on the brake, you couldn’t see out of any windows, and everything was covered,” she told the news.

Truck driver Lemon said he pulled over to assist and found a disaster of a scene. After the impact damaged the windshield, one person had blood all over their face and body. Lemon’s truck received damage in the incident. Lemon said the impact of the snow “blew out the entire headlight out of the hood of the car no longer attached to the truck.”

Drivers are looking for answers and for someone to pay for repairs

Now drivers are looking for answers from this independent company that sent the snowplow out onto the highway. The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission issued a statement on Monday morning about the incident.

“We are working with the customers affected by this incident. The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission and Ohio State Highway Patrol are conducting investigations, and appropriate action will be taken pending the outcome of these investigations.”

Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission

The snowplow driver is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The OTIC and OSHP sent the driver for drug and alcohol testing immediately after the incident. The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission said it encouraged drivers to contact their “individual insurance companies to address vehicle damage and immediate transportation needs.” Those involved can reach the Ohio Turnpike Customer Service Center at (440) 971-2222, or drivers can file a Property Damage Claim on the Ohio Turnpike website.