Driver who stopped on I-71 in Columbus, causing crash, gets license suspended

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A driver who earlier this year abruptly stopped in the middle of Interstate 71 in Columbus — seen in a video shared widely on social media — pleaded guilty to reckless operation of a motor vehicle with willful and wanton disregard for safety.

The driver had their license suspended until January 28. They were placed on probation until July and must pay a $50 fine plus court costs. Nexstar’s WCMH NBC4 is not naming the driver because the charge is a misdemeanor traffic offense.

Video of the ordeal posted to social media has garnered hundreds of thousands of views. In the video, a red van is traveling on I-71 South near the Interstate 670 exit when it comes to a complete stop in the middle travel lane after appearing to miss an exit.

Two cars stopped behind the red van. A third car could not stop in time, which resulted in a three car crash. The red van is then seen driving away.

“Actions like the one in the video are extremely dangerous to yourself and other drivers,” the Ohio Department of Transportation wrote in a social media post.

Officers initially responded to the crash, not knowing there was a red van involved. One of the other drivers was initially cited, but that was dropped when police learned of the red van’s involvement.

Police were able to track down the van using Flock cameras and license plate readers. Officers spoke with the driver, who admitted it was them driving and that they knew there was a crash behind them, according to the citation. The driver said they were following GPS and missed the exit.