CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police shut down a portion of Interstate 90 Monday afternoon for a crash involving a garbage truck and another vehicle that left 9-year-old Daeshon Whalen and 16-year-old Iana McCray dead and three other people injured.
It happened shortly after noon on the I-90 westbound lanes near West 98th Street.
News 5 reporter Joe Pagonakis confirmed I-90 was reopened as of about 5 p.m., but emergency vehicles were still on the road cleaning up after the crash.
By 3:35 p.m., Cleveland Police had the garbage truck towed from the scene, but traffic was still being redirected. Police asked motorists to avoid the area if possible.
A News 5 photographer at the scene said another vehicle could be seen under the front end of a Kimble garbage truck.
Kimble released the following statement on the crash:
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that an incident occurred on 04/01/24 involving a vehicle crash that tragically resulted in a loss of life. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the individuals involved during this incredibly difficult time. Safety is an important priority, and we are fully cooperating with the authorities as they conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of this accident. Out of respect for the privacy of those involved, we are unable to provide further details at this time.”
Chris Haire, Director of Operations with Cleveland's North Coast Emergency Services, which responded to 2,333 roadside emergencies in the past year, told News 5 he believes that stretch of I-90 is one of Cleveland's most dangerous.
Haire believes a growing number of distracted drivers are a principal reason for the increase in I-90 crashes.
"There’s been three or four bad crashes there, couple of fatalities, I’m not sure what needs to change other than people’s drug habits, our hearts go out to the family involved today," Haire said. “They are always preoccupied with something other than driving, playing on their phones, GPS, tablets, make-up, eating, all that causes these tragedies.”
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that investigators have been called to the scene.
It's unclear what caused the crash or if anyone else was injured.
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