Jennifer Donley, a 45-year-old Ohio Department of Transportation employee from Lancaster, was killed Sunday morning after a Freightliner truck struck her while she was working along Interstate 70 in Zanesville, Muskingum County. She was on the job as a bridge inspector when the crash happened, turning what should have been another morning of work into a fatal tragedy.
The crash happened at approximately 8:09 a.m. on November 9, 2026, along westbound I-70 near mile marker 154, close to the Maple Avenue off-ramp. Donley was working in an active construction zone when the collision occurred.
According to the preliminary investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a 2027 Freightliner Cascadia traveling westbound struck Donley while she was in the roadway. The truck was driven by Brian Carter, 54, of Indianapolis, Indiana.
The impact left Donley with fatal injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Carter was not injured in the crash.
Donley had worked for the Ohio Department of Transportation for four years. Her death has left colleagues and others connected to the department mourning the loss of a fellow employee who was carrying out her duties when the tragedy happened.
For her family and friends in Lancaster, the news brings a loss that goes far beyond the details in a highway crash report. A woman who left home for work that morning would never return. Those closest to her are now left with memories of the time they shared and the difficult task of coming to terms with her sudden death.
ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn issued a statement following Donley’s death, acknowledging the loss of the 45-year-old employee and asking people to keep her family, friends and everyone affected by the tragedy in their thoughts and prayers.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision. Several local agencies and county officials also assisted at the scene.
For those who knew Jennifer Donley, her life cannot be reduced to the few details recorded about the crash. She was a daughter, a friend and a colleague whose absence will be felt by people who shared their lives and work with her. Her loved ones now face the difficult days ahead as they remember the woman they lost.
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