Overview

• Jacob McDonald, 61, faces 26 charges, including six counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, for a November 2023 chain-reaction crash on I-70 in Ohio.
• The crash killed six people, including three high school students, and injured 18 others when McDonald’s semi truck failed to decelerate in slowed traffic near a construction zone.
• Prosecutors argue McDonald acted recklessly, citing evidence he did not brake and may have been distracted by cellphone use, though impairment was ruled out by the NTSB.
• The defense claims the crash was a tragic accident, emphasizing steady speed and disputing evidence of distraction, though their expert’s testimony faced scrutiny over errors and omissions.
• Judge David Branstool is expected to deliver a verdict early next week, while civil lawsuits filed by victims’ families against McDonald and others continue separately.