911 calls reveal moments after deadly tire crash on I-70, truck company questioned

Newly obtained 911 calls are giving a clearer picture of the moments after a deadly crash on Interstate 70 Friday afternoon involving a loose semitrailer tire. Police say the left rear tire of a Schneider National Bulk Carrier came off while the truck was traveling westbound near Miller Avenue, close to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The tire crossed into oncoming traffic and slammed into several vehicles in the eastbound lanes. The driver of a Ford Taurus was the first to be hit by the wheel. The driver swerved and crashed into a concrete median barrier, according to the crash report. The driver did not survive and their name was redacted in the crash report. He spun off and a tire fell off," one witness told dispatchers. "He’s badly injured and the car is totaled. I don't know if the guy is still living. Another person described drivers swerving in every direction, trying to avoid the wreckage. “I knew a lot of people were trying to swerve. I just wanted to let someone know,” they told dispatchers. Hana Hahmed was one of the people hit while she was driving her Hyundai Tuscon. She told ABC 6 on Tuesday the tire seemed to come out of nowhere. The impact left her car undrivable. She walked away with a sore neck, but says she knows how much worse it could have been after seeing what happened to the driver of the Taurus. When asked if she knew if the truck stopped, Hahmed said she didn't even know the tire came from the truck and she didn't see a semitrailer pulled over. It’s still unclear whether the driver even realized the tire had come off and the impact it had. Schneider National Bulk Carriers website states its drivers are required to inspect their trucks before every shift, after picking up a new trailer, and after a 10-hour break. Tire inspections are a large part of the company's pre-trip inspection, where drivers are required to check tire pressure, wheel, hub oil, oil seal, valve cap, and lug nuts. ABC 6 asked the company whether those steps were followed but haven’t heard back. It is too early in the investigation to determine if charges could be filed against the driver. The Ohio Department of Transportation says a nearby traffic camera was too far away to capture video of the crash. Columbus Police are asking anyone with information to contact their Accident Investigation Unit.