BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio — Two separate tractor-trailer incidents at an intersection outside St. Clairsville on County Road 5 (Crescent Road) and County Road 10 (Blaine Barton Road) in Belmont County caused traffic disruptions Thursday, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.
The first incident occurred around 11 a.m. when a commercial truck attempted to turn left despite a clearly posted “No Left Turn” sign. The truck jackknifed and blocked the intersection, shutting down traffic. Authorities cited the driver, Laheen Kajji, 33, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, for failing to obey traffic control devices. No damage to the roadway was reported. The driver told deputies he had been following GPS directions.
The second incident happened just hours later, at approximately 8:29 p.m. when another commercial semi truck attempted the same left turn and bottomed out, causing damage to recently paved roadway surfaces. The driver, David H. Aljabbar, 45, of Dayton, Ohio, faces a pending citation while the crash report remains under investigation.
Both incidents required assistance from local law enforcement and towing services to clear the intersection and reopen traffic. Officials reminded commercial drivers to follow posted signage and avoid using GPS instructions that conflict with road regulations.
