CANFIELD — The trooper involved in a multi-vehicle crash is confirmed dead, the Ohio State Highway Patrol announced in a Thursday evening news release.

In a statement from the OSHP Facebook page:

“The Ohio State Highway Patrol is mourning the loss of Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton, of the Canfield Post, after he died as a result of being hit while in his cruiser by a semi-truck on state Route 11 south of U.S. 224 in Canfield, Ohio. Trooper Cayton was assisting a disabled commercial vehicle at the time of the crash.”

According to the release, Cayton, 40, responded to state Route 11 northbound following a report of a disabled 2024 Kenworth semi tractor-trailer in the right lane, and upon making contact with the driver, Nelson De Jesus Herrera Vasquez, 65, of Florida, it was determined that the Kenworth had struck an item in the roadway.

The release states Cayton was sitting in his cruiser with its emergency overhead lights activated when a 2007 Mack Granite, driven by Ryan Rach, 35, of Canfield, traveling northbound, crashed into the back of his cruiser.

The cruiser traveled forward into the back of Vasquez’s disabled tractor-trailer, also striking Vasquez, who was standing outside of his vehicle.

Cayton was pronounced dead at the scene, while Vasquez was life-flighted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

“Today, the Patrol lost a member of our family. This is a tragedy for the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Ohio Department of Public Safety”, said Col. Charles A. Jones, patrol superintendent. “Our prayers go out to the Cayton family during this difficult time.”

Rach was uninjured, the report states.

The crash remains under investigation.