On July 9, 2020, Anesa Noelle Acosta (15), Quintin Michael McGowan (13), Brekkin Riley Bruce (8), and Trentin Beau Bruce (6), were with their father, Aaron Bruce, traveling from his home in Kansas City, MO to his sister’s home in Columbus, OH. The family was slowed in merging construction traffic when a semi-truck pulling a loaded box trailer failed to slow down and slammed into their car. The semi pushed them into another semi in front of them, and then continued to push them into the wires and tie rods until their car burst into flames.
Aaron was pulled from the vehicle with several injuries, but the children were not able to be rescued. All four of them were killed.
The driver of the truck that hit them had methamphetamine and fentanyl in his system. He plead guilty to four counts of causing death when operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and one count of causing catastrophic injury when operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison.