Wyandot County, OH (February 19, 2026) – Martin Montoya, 37, was killed by a semi-truck while he was standing outside his semi-truck on the side of the road on US-23 in Crawford Township on Thursday evening.
Incident Details: According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP), a crash occurred on Thursday, February 19, 2026, around 10:25 p.m.
The OSHP reported that 37-year-old Martin Montoya had parked his semi-truck on the right side of US-23 southbound in Crawford Township, north of TR-103. Montoya exited his truck after it became disabled. He was standing on the left side of the tractor in the area of the white edge line. Montoya had the side access panel door on his vehicle open. Another semi-truck, also traveling southbound on US-23, in the right lane, struck Montoya and the right-side mirror of his truck.
OSHP said that Montoya was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the other semi-truck was taken to the hospital for possible minor injuries.
OSHP does not suspect drugs or alcohol to be factors in the crash.
Investigation: The OSHP is continuing to investigate the fatal crash on US-23 in Crawford Township that killed Martin Montoya. Investigators will likely focus on:
- Vehicle positioning—determining exactly where Montoya’s disabled semi was stopped relative to the roadway and white edge line.
- Visibility conditions—examining lighting, weather, reflectors, hazard lights, and whether the stopped truck was adequately visible to approaching drivers.
- Driver attentiveness—evaluating whether the southbound semi-truck driver was maintaining a proper lookout and lane position.
- Roadway evidence—reviewing skid marks, debris patterns, and impact points to reconstruct how the collision occurred.
- Commercial compliance factors—checking hours-of-service logs, dash camera footage, and vehicle data to determine whether fatigue or operational issues played a role.
Together, these steps will help establish how the impact occurred and whether the collision could have been avoided.
Legal Considerations: When a commercial driver is struck while outside a disabled vehicle, liability often centers on whether the passing driver exercised reasonable care under the circumstances. Even if drugs or alcohol are not suspected, a driver may still be held civilly responsible if they failed to maintain lane control, failed to move over when safe to do so, or did not keep a proper lookout.
Because this crash involved two commercial trucks, additional legal questions may arise regarding trucking company policies, driver training, hours-of-service compliance, and safety procedures.
If negligence is established, Montoya’s surviving family members may have grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim against the responsible driver and potentially the trucking company involved. A wrongful death claim can allow eligible family members to seek compensation for funeral expenses, lost financial support, and the loss of companionship and guidance.
My deepest condolences go out to the family and loved ones of Martin Montoya. Losing someone in such a sudden and tragic way is devastating, and my thoughts are with those who are grieving this heartbreaking loss.
Source: WTOL11