Columbus, OH (April 2, 2025) – A 22-year-old man was killed early Wednesday morning in a rear-end collision involving a semi-truck and an SUV on Interstate 71 North, just north of Downtown Columbus near the I-670 interchange, according to Columbus police.
Incident Details: The crash occurred at approximately 1:40 a.m. when a Nissan Rogue, driven by Jahara Tunkara, came to a stop in the middle of I-71 North for unknown reasons. A semi-truck traveling in the same direction struck the SUV from behind. Tunkara was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:23 a.m. The semi-truck leaked fuel onto the roadway, prompting the closure of northbound lanes until about 5:30 a.m. Southbound lanes reopened after about one hour.
Investigation and Legal Considerations: Authorities are still working to determine why the SUV stopped in an active lane of traffic. Key investigative questions include whether the vehicle was disabled, whether emergency signals were deployed, and if the semi-truck had enough time and visibility to avoid the collision. In cases like this, both drivers’ actions are scrutinized to assess comparative fault. The family of the deceased may pursue wrongful death claims if any third-party negligence contributed to the crash.
Source: NBC4i