Committee passes bill designating portion of I-70 the Tuscarawas Valley Memorial Highway

COLUMBUS ‒ Legislation passed the Ohio House Transportation Committee on Tuesday to designate a portion of Interstate 70 in Licking County as the Tuscarawas Valley Memorial Highway.

It would honor the six people from the Tuscarawas Valley School District killed in a bus crash on Nov. 14 , 2023.

Killed in the crash were senior John W. Mosley, 18, of Mineral City; senior Jeffrey D. Worrell, 18, of Bolivar; sophomore Katelyn N. Owens, 15, of Mineral City; high school teacher Dave Kennat, 56, of Navarre; parent chaperone Kristy Gaynor, 39, of Zoar; and parent chaperone Shannon Wigfield, 45, of Bolivar, who was a teacher at Buckeye Career Center.

The students and chaperones were on their way to an Ohio School Boards Association conference in Columbus. The high school band was scheduled to perform at the conference.

A report from the Ohio Department of Public Safety on the crash said that a 2019 semi followed too closely in traffic, failed to slow down and struck another vehicle before hitting the charter bus carrying students from Tuscarawas Valley Middle-High School.

The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Brett Hillyer, R-Uhrichsville, and Kevin Miller, R-Newark.

“This bill holds significance to our community and serves as a tribute to the lives lost and families forever changed by the tragic accident that impacted the Tuscarawas Valley community,” said Hillyer during sponsor testimony.

House Bill 380 now heads to the House floor for a vote.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Committee passes bill designating portion of I-70 the Tuscarawas Valley Memorial Highway