Tusky Valley community remembers victims killed in I-70 bus crash

Mineral City, Ohio (WOIO) - Thursday marks the one year anniversary of the tragic bus crash that killed six people in the Tusky Valley community.

Three students and three chaperones from Tusky Valley Middle-High School were killed in a five-vehicle crash on Interstate 70 in Licking County on Nov. 14, 2023.

The Pioneer Trails Charter Bus was transporting students to a school performance in Columbus when it was rear-ended by a semi.

Three students on-board the bus were killed. They were identified as John Mosley, 18, Mineral City, Jeffery Worrell, 18, Bolivar, and Katelyn Owens, 15, Mineral City.

Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said the crash triggered a chain reaction, involving three additional vehicles, including one transporting the three chaperones.

The chaperones killed in the crash have been identified as Dave Kennat, 56 (Tusky Valley Teacher), Navarre, Kristy Gaynor, 39, Zoar, and Shannon Wigfield (Language arts teacher Buckeye Career Center), 45, Bolivar.

"Such loss is still incomprehensible and we will always miss the laughs, the smiles, the humor, and the words of encouragement from Kristy, Dave, Wyatt, Katelyn, Shannon, and JD," posted Tusky Valley Superintendent Dr. Derek Varansky on Facebook.

Dr. Varansky added school will remain in session Thursday to ensure students are not at home alone, but there will be no district-led community events to "provide privacy to the six families and allow them to spend the day as they wish."

Residents are invited to a Memorial Walk/Run on Sunday, Nov. 17 at noon at the school stadium.

"The event will begin with a moment of silence followed by a community prayer before the memorial walk/run kicks off. We hope you join us in walking or running six laps, six hours, or something in between to honor and celebrate the lives and legacies of Kristy, Dave, Wyatt, Katelyn, Shannon, and JD. They will never be forgotten," posted Dr. Varansky on Facebook.

The driver of the semi truck, Jacob McDonald, is facing a total of 26 counts, including six counts of vehicular homicide, nine counts of vehicular assault and 11 counts of assault.

that killed people indicted on 26 counts

His trial is scheduled to begin on Dec. 2.

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