PERRYSBURG, Ohio — A Florida semi truck driver who struck an I-75 overpass in Wood County in February, causing extensive traffic backup on the major thoroughfare, was convicted of three charges in the Perrysburg Municipal Court Tuesday.
Lavoris Ruth, 43, of Miami Gardens, Fla., was convicted Tuesday on charges of driving while disqualified, failure to stop and overheight without permit. He pleaded no contest on Monday.
Ruth's overhead load, the base of an intermodal container crane which the Ohio State Highway Patrol said he had no permit to be carrying in a press release after the incident, struck the bottom of the overpass at Lime City Road and knocked debris onto the roadway.
A witness who was struck by debris followed Ruth and reported his location to law enforcement when he stopped his vehicle at an area east of I-75 near the Ampoint complex.
OSHP Sgt. Ryan Purpura said at the time that it was the worst overpass crash he has seen in his 18-year tenure as a state trooper and that it "could've resulted in a fatality."
A motorist was injured when he fell outside his vehicle due to the accident.
Ruth is set to be sentenced on Sept. 5 at 2 p.m.
After nearly a week of detours and debris cleanup, OSHP opened one lane as a temporary solution while work to fix the overpass continued. Rebuilding the bridge is going to cost over $5 million.
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