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Family Remembers Sean Price as Investigation Continues After Fatal Wrong‑Way I‑71 Crash

Updated (6 articles)
  • Police are also searching for a driver of a wrong-way vehicle involved in the crash who allegedly ran away from the scene.
    Police are also searching for a driver of a wrong-way vehicle involved in the crash who allegedly ran away from the scene.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Police are also searching for a driver of a wrong-way vehicle involved in the crash who allegedly ran away from the scene. Source Full size

Crash Occurred Early Friday Morning Near East Broad Street

At 1:58 a.m. on February 13, a black Chrysler Town & Country entered the northbound lanes of I‑71 heading south, striking a Ford F‑150 and a semitruck, which set off a multi‑vehicle pile‑up that also involved a Ram 1500 and a second semitruck [2][3][4]. Video from the Ohio Department of Transportation captured the wrong‑way vehicle’s path and the subsequent collisions that blocked all lanes for hours [2]. Police reports confirm the crash began just before 2 a.m., creating a chain‑reaction that left one driver dead and several others uninjured [3][4].

Sean Price Ejected, Vehicle Ignited, Pronounced Dead at Hospital

Sean Price, 53, was driving the Ram 1500 when a second semitruck struck his slowed vehicle, ejecting him and causing the truck to spin, catch fire, and come to rest beneath the first semitruck [3][4]. He was transported to Grant Medical Center where he was pronounced dead; his family later described him as humorous and generous [1]. The other motorists—including the drivers of the Ford F‑150 and both semitrucks—escaped injury and required no medical care [3][4].

Wrong‑Way Driver Found Hours Later, Treated for Hypothermia

The Chrysler driver fled the scene but was located about six hours after the crash, south of the incident and west of I‑71, and was taken to Grant Medical Center for hypothermia treatment [1][3][4]. Police have not announced whether criminal charges will be filed, noting the investigation remains open and that the driver’s condition was stabilized before any legal decisions [1][2]. Authorities continue to seek public tips, providing a dedicated phone line for information about the fleeing driver [4].

Ongoing Probe, Safety Measures, and Family’s Call for Justice

The Columbus Police Accident Investigation Unit leads the inquiry, urging anyone with details to call 614‑645‑4767, while the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office confirms the case is still under review [2][4]. Ohio Department of Transportation officials highlighted that wrong‑way crashes constitute only 0.01 % of state incidents but are 40 times more likely to be fatal, prompting the installation of additional “do not enter” signs and red‑reflector pavement markings near the crash site [4]. Family members expressed grief over missed milestones and a desire for accountability as they remember Price’s “big heart” [1].

Sources

Timeline

Jan 8, 2026 – 21‑year‑old Brayden Duncan of Auburn dies after his 2004 Honda Civic slides on icy westbound I‑90 near Snoqualmie Pass, strikes a barrier and is hit by a semi‑truck; Washington State Patrol attributes the crash to driving too fast for conditions during a Winter Storm Warning that deposits about 13 inches of snow, and notes the semi driver is uninjured. [6]

Jan 21, 2026 – A median‑crossing crash on I‑5 in Ferndale kills 22‑year‑old Momina Khan when a northbound Chevrolet Silverado crosses into the southbound lanes, collides with a Tesla and then a Hyundai Tucson; police say no drugs or alcohol are involved, and southbound I‑5 remains closed for roughly five hours before reopening at 9:15 p.m. [5]

Feb 13, 2026 (1:58 a.m.) – A driver in a black Chrysler Town & Country travels south in the northbound lanes of I‑71 near East Broad Street, strikes a Ford F‑150 and a semitruck, triggering a chain‑reaction pileup that ejects 53‑year‑old Sean Price from his Ram 1500, ignites his vehicle and leads to his death at Grant Medical Center; all other motorists escape injury. [4]

Feb 13, 2026 (≈ 8 a.m.) – Columbus police locate the wrong‑way driver about six hours after the crash, find him south of the scene, and transport him to Grant Medical Center for hypothermia treatment; investigators keep the case open while assessing possible charges. [3][4]

Feb 13, 2026 – Ohio Department of Transportation highlights that wrong‑way crashes comprise roughly 0.01 % of state collisions but are about 40 times more likely to be fatal, and announces the installation of additional “do not enter” signs, red‑reflector pavement markings and driver‑detector systems along I‑71 to mitigate future incidents. [4]

Feb 16, 2026 – The Columbus Police Accident Investigation Unit continues its probe of the I‑71 pileup, urges anyone with information—including the Chrysler driver—to call 614‑645‑4767, and notes that no charges have been filed yet. [4]

Feb 17, 2026 – Ohio Department of Public Safety reiterates that the wrong‑way driver was found six hours after fleeing, treated for hypothermia, and remains under investigation with authorities still deciding on criminal liability. [3]

Feb 20, 2026 – Further investigation reveals the crash began around 2 a.m., a second semitruck strikes another vehicle minutes later, killing its driver; the multi‑vehicle pileup blocks all lanes, sparks explosion fears, and prompts a prolonged traffic shutdown while the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office keeps the case open. [2]

Feb 22, 2026 – Sean Price’s family remembers him, with son Demetrius Honaker calling him “funny” with a “big heart” and daughter Arina Turner saying he “can make anybody laugh,” while expressing sorrow that he won’t walk her down the aisle and urging accountability as the investigation remains ongoing. [1]

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