An 80-year-old Massillon man, identified as Terry Gribble, died Tuesday evening after a multi-vehicle crash on southbound Interstate 77 in Richfield, Ohio, according to the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office. The collision — which occurred around 5:30 p.m. — turned a routine commute into tragedy.
Gribble was traveling south on I-77 when traffic congestion in the area turned deadly. Details remain sketchy, but authorities confirmed the crash involved multiple vehicles, and Gribble was pronounced dead at the scene.
First responders — police officers, firefighters, and medical crews — raced to the scene after receiving the 911 call. According to reports, they arrived within minutes, closed off the southbound lanes, and began documenting the scene. That included photographing vehicles, noting their positions, and collecting early witness statements. As of now, officials have not released the total number of vehicles involved or whether any others were injured.
Investigators with the Medical Examiner’s Office and the Richfield Police Department are examining what may have triggered the crash. As is standard, they’re looking into contributing factors such as speed, road and weather conditions, visibility, and any mechanical issues. They may also review traffic-camera footage and continue interviewing witnesses.
The tragic loss of Gribble has shaken both his hometown of Massillon and the Richfield community. Family members and friends have not yet issued a public statement, but many neighbors and acquaintances reportedly expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences. The crash serves as a painful reminder of how quickly a busy roadway can become the site of heartbreak.
For now, the priority for investigators is to gather facts — to reconstruct exactly how this crash unfolded and why. Authorities are urging anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who has dashcam or other video footage, to come forward. Those firsthand observations could be crucial in piecing together events from that fateful evening.
As the investigation continues, residents of Summit County — along with Terry Gribble’s loved ones — wait for clarity, seeking both understanding and closure. In the meantime, memories of a life lost and a community shaken linger in the quiet that follows tragedy.
