Key Takeaways:
- One person died Thursday evening after a Chevrolet utility truck hit a parked semi-truck in south Columbus.
- The crash happened around 5:50 p.m. on the U.S. Route 23 South entrance ramp from Interstate 270 East.
- The utility truck driver died at the scene. The semi driver was not hurt.
- The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating. It has not said why the truck left the road or released the names of the drivers.
- Drivers who use this interchange should check live traffic conditions before they travel.
Quick Facts:
What: A utility truck left a south Columbus highway ramp and hit the trailer of a parked tractor-trailer, killing the utility truck’s driver.
Where: U.S. Route 23 South entrance ramp from Interstate 270 East, south side of Columbus
When: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, at about 5:50 p.m.
Who: Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Columbus Police, Columbus Fire Division
Status: Under investigation
Source: NBC4 Columbus
What Happened
A 2018 Chevrolet utility truck was driving on the U.S. 23 South entrance ramp from I-270 East at about 5:50 p.m. Thursday, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said.
The truck left the road, drove through a ditch and struck the trailer of a Freightliner tractor-trailer. The semi was stopped on the side of the ramp, according to the sheriff’s office.
Columbus Fire medics pronounced the Chevrolet’s driver dead at the scene at 6:06 p.m. The driver was the only person in the truck. The Freightliner’s driver was not injured.
Deputies from the sheriff’s office, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, Columbus police officers and Columbus firefighters responded.
What Officials Said
Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said the sheriff’s office is leading the investigation. Deputies described the sequence of events but did not say why the utility truck left the ramp.
The sheriff’s office has not released the identities of either driver. It also has not said whether speed, impairment or a medical emergency played a role.
What This Means for Columbus Residents
The crash happened at the I-270 and U.S. 23 interchange on the city’s south side, a route many commuters and truck drivers use. Authorities have not said whether the ramp was closed or when it reopened.
No one else was hurt, and officials have not reported any danger to the public. Drivers who use the interchange can check current ramp and lane conditions before they leave. Residents with information about the crash can contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
What To Do
- Check real-time road conditions at OHGO.com or on the OHGO app before driving through the I-270 and U.S. 23 interchange.
- Call 911 to report an emergency or a stopped vehicle on a ramp or highway shoulder.
- Contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office if you saw the crash or have video of it.
Columbus Frontline will update as more information becomes available.