18-year-old woman killed in crash with snowplow on Interstate 71 near Cincinnati

SYMMES TOWNSHIP, Ohio - An 18-year-old woman was killed in a crash with a snowplow that brought traffic on northbound Interstate 71 near Cincinnati to a standstill for several hours Wednesday.

The crash happened around 3 p.m. at the 19.4 mile marker, just south of the Fields Ertel Road exit (exit 19) in Hamilton County.

Officials said Jessica Galley, 18, of Mason, was driving a 2003 Buick south on I-71 when she lost control of her vehicle, causing it to travel across the grassy median and into the northbound lanes. As the vehicle continued out of control, it was struck by an Ohio Department of Transportation snowplow traveling north on I-71.

Galley suffered fatal injuries as a result of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. Galley was a University of Cincinnati student, who graduated from Mason High School this past year.

The plow operator, Scott Wyrick, 46, of Wilmington, was not hurt.

Both drivers were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.

Traffic came to a crawl for more than three hours when the crash forced the closure of all but one lane on I-71, backing up the flow of vehicles south of the Ronald Reagan Highway exit.

Speed and alcohol/drugs are not believed to be a factor in the crash.

The crash remains under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Traffic Safety Unit.