What started as a Sunday afternoon milk run turned into a milky mayhem disaster in Jackson County when a commercial milk tanker lost control and dumped thousands of gallons of liquid dairy all over State Route 279. And believe it or not, that creamy white river posed a serious environmental threat.
🕐 CRASH TIME: Just after 1:40 PM on July 27
📍 LOCATION: State Route 279 near Centerville
🚛 WHO: 43-year-old Joseph Penwell of Washington Court House
🛻 COLLIDED WITH: 57-year-old Michael Stroop of Oak Hill
Penwell was hauling a tanker full of milk when he failed to handle a curve. As he tried to swerve back into his lane, his rig rolled over—right into the path of an oncoming Chevy pickup. Stroop’s truck was forced off the road and down a steep embankment, flipping multiple times before landing on its wheels. The milk tanker crashed into a tree, spilling its load all over the roadside.
🩹 Penwell was taken to Holzer Hospital with minor injuries.
🚑 Stroop refused EMS transport but was later evaluated by his wife.
🚫ROAD CLOSED: SR 279 was shut down until 10:30 PM while crews wrangled the wreckage and milk mess.
But here’s the kicker: spilled milk isn’t just a soggy inconvenience—it’s a biohazard. 🧫
Milk may seem harmless, but in large quantities, it’s an environmental nightmare. The bacteria in decomposing milk sucks the oxygen out of streams and ponds, killing fish and upsetting ecosystems. That’s why the Ohio EPA was immediately notified by the Madison Township Fire Department. A full-blown hazmat response was triggered, turning this dairy disaster into a multi-agency operation.
ON THE SCENE:
- Madison Township Fire Department
- Jackson County EMS
- Ohio EPA
- Jackson County Emergency Management
- ODOT
- Angle’s Towing & Stapleton’s Towing
🚨 Penwell was cited for failure to control his vehicle.
So next time someone tells you “don’t cry over spilled milk,” remind them that in the wrong place, spilled milk can kill fish, block roads, and turn your weekend drive into a full-blown environmental emergency. 🐟💀🛑
