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Ohio State Police release records almost four months after September dump truck accident

mitchell.935@osu.edu

Published: Thursday, January 3, 2013

Updated: Thursday, January 3, 2013 20:01

Hughes

Daniel Chi / Asst. photo editor

Police officers survey the scene after a Sept. 5 bicycle accident where OSU student James Daniel Hughes was hit by a dump truck near Woodruff Avenue.

Ohio State Police have released records regarding a traffic crash investigation nearly four months after the investigation began.

The investigation's focus is on an incident where a dump truck ran over a student, resulting in the amputation of his right leg. 

The Sept. 5 accident occurred near a construction site on Woodruff Avenue, where first-year James Daniel Hughes was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk when a dump truck backed into him. He was transported to Wexner Medical Center immediately from the scene.

The Lantern obtained two binders containing a copy of the police report and administrative information regarding the incident Thursday morning that included eyewitness accounts and narratives from officers on scene, as well as information on the car and bicycle involved.

Hughes’ lawyer, Steve Crandall, has been handling media requests for inquiries on Hughes’ condition, and has repeatedly said he is concerned about the possibility of bias in the investigation if OSU is found to be at fault. He has also publicly stated his frustration with University Police for not releasing the report sooner.

In a previous interview with The Lantern, Crandall said he met with OSU Police on Oct. 8 and had been promised that a police report would be out that week, but no report was supplied. In November, Crandall said he had been informed that the report was awaiting approval from Capt. David Rose of University Police, which was expected to take a few days.

“This is becoming a case of one family against large state institutions, and that’s unacceptable,” Crandall said. “I’m afraid that Daniel’s case has been forgotten by the university and that, for them, it’s business as usual."

University Police maintained that the investigation was still ongoing during that time, and according to the University Police log the investigation is still pending.

Hughes’ accident was one of several accidents in the campus area since the beginning of the semester. The day after Hughes’ accident, OSU student Yifan Gu was struck by a bicyclist near Chumley’s on High Street and was transported to the Medical Center with injuries. 

Lindsey Barrett contributed to this article.

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11 comments

Anonymous
Sat Jan 19 2013 23:00
This lawyer is a creepy bottom dweller. The family needs to get a lawyer that really is out for their interest and not his own.
Anonymous
Mon Jan 7 2013 09:03
I don't know who's fault the accident was and I certainly feel sympathy for the family and injured student, but I know that a lot of the student's riding bikes on campus DO NOT obey the laws. I see them go through red lights all of the time; almost hit by a student when I was crossing the street because he did not stop at the light with the rest of the traffic. They are supposed to obey the same laws that those driving cars have to obey; I do not see that.
Anonymous
Sun Jan 6 2013 23:38
Yeah, WBNS and the police report may say that the student was at fault, but what you aren't being told is that the student remembers everything and has repeatedly stated that he was WALKING his bike, NOT riding it, so just exactly how is he at fault?! Also, there is conflicting evidence as to whether the truck was backing out or pulling in. Seems like OSU police aren't very good investigators and that the family's lawyer is right to question them and whether they should've been allowed to handle the investigation.
Anonymous
Fri Jan 4 2013 13:24
go to the WBNS tv website for a brief article which states the student was at fault
Anonymous
Fri Jan 4 2013 13:19
read the WBNS article to find out the kid was at fault
Anonymous
Fri Jan 4 2013 09:12
So this article is pretty much about the Lantern getting the report and not about what's in the report? Great work.
Anonymous
Fri Jan 4 2013 08:55
Soooo, what did the report say? Also, as a bike rider I have to agree that bikes should be banned from pedestrian walk ways on campus. On the same token, I think that cars should be banned from central campus as well. It would make it safer for pedestrians on the sidewalks and safer for bikers on the roads.
Anonymous
Fri Jan 4 2013 08:47
Where is the part of the story which summarizes the findings the records, reports, etc? Its nice to know the report has been released, but what did it say?
Newman
Fri Jan 4 2013 08:24
A very sad trend here at the university is the ever increasing lack of transparency. Transparency used to be the hallmark here, not under the current administration. I certainly hope that the Dayton Daily News and the Lantern continue to bird dog administration. We can't depend upon on the Dispatch.
Doctor Sahn
Fri Jan 4 2013 08:01
Looks like we need to ban bicycles as that seems to be the recurring theme of how people are getting injured on campus.
Anonymous
Thu Jan 3 2013 21:13
The lawyer seems a bit creepy since the beginning. I somehow feel that the young man needs a better lawyer.




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