A forklift operator was killed in an incident involving a pair of commercial trucks in Union County, Ohio, this week.
Shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the Union County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) responded to a 911 caller reporting that a person was injured after a semi truck struck a forklift on State Route 736 in Darby Township, Ohio.
When police arrived at the scene, they found a 24-year-old male forklift operator lying near a ditch line after being ejected in a crash. The man was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
UCSO said that the preliminary crash investigation shows that the forklift was being used to removed building materials from a stationary semi truck that was parked in the southbound lane of SR 736 in front of a residence.
As the forklift operator was actively removing building materials, it was struck by a northbound 2013 Peterbilt truck, causing the forklift operator to be ejected. The Peterbilt went off the east side of the road and came to a stop in a residential yard.
After the initial crash “stabilized,” a 2018 Kenworth struck the forklift. The Kenworth driver was able to stop a short distance from the crash scene.
“During the crash investigation, a commercial enforcement trooper responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. As a result of the investigation, the trooper discovered both the load weight for the 2013 Peterbilt and the 2018 Kenworth were in excess of legally permitted weight amounts for the roadway. The overweight amounts were 5,500 pounds and 6,100 pounds. the trooper issued citations for these overweight violations,” UCSO said.
The crash remains under investigation by UCSO.
Assisting agencies include the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Marysville Division of Fire, Pleasant Valley Fire District, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
