Explanation
BACKGROUND: On the night of July 23, 2023, Columbus Firefighter Tyler Conners was driving Engine 5 northbound on Interstate 270 near Hamilton Road. Lt. Timothy Boyd (now the rank of Captain) was the ranking officer in Engine 5 that night. It was dark and had been raining, making the pavement wet.
Engine 5 was called off of an emergency run, and Firefighter Conners began slowing and merging from the far-right lane of the interstate highway to the far left to make a left turn into an emergency vehicle turnaround in order to head south back to the fire station. Firefighter Conners informed Capt. Boyd that he intended to use the turnaround, and Capt. Boyd did not disagree with that choice. Unknown to Firefighter Conners, a sedan was also merging to the left as Engine 5 did, seeking to pass Engine 5 on the left.
While Engine 5 was mostly in Lane 1 (the left-most lane), continuing to slow down, and beginning to turn into the turnaround, the sedan, also in Lane 1, attempted to pass Engine 5 to the left. The sedan drove onto the shoulder and collided with Engine 5 in the left median near the entrance to the turnaround. The sedan continued northbound and came to a stop in the median; Engine 5 came to a stop at the point of collision, with the back corner of the fire engine still partially in Lane 1. A pickup truck driven by Mr. Timothy Wiggins (age 63), also in Lane 1, then collided with the rear of Engine 5. Mr. Wiggins was killed by that impact.
A wrongful death lawsuit brought by the Estate of Mr. Wiggins is tentatively settled. This settlement is pending approval by the Franklin County Probate Court and thereafter by the Columbus City Council. Specifically, the settlement is in the amount of $750,000.00.
Patricia Gerlach-Hesson was the passenger of the pickup truck who was later transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A personal injury lawsuit was brought by her against the City of Columbus. The settlement of this lawsuit is p...
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