People who do not take their obligation to drive safely seriously endanger everyone on the road, whether they live here in Ohio or elsewhere. It only takes one driver failing to pay attention due to distraction, impairment or fatigue to cause a crash. The resulting vehicle accidents could end with at least one person dead and several others injured.
Police believe this happened in a crash that took place on a recent Sunday at around 3:15 a.m. The preliminary report indicates the crash happened where north Interstate 271 and west Interstate 90 merge. A vehicle headed the wrong direction on the interchange bridge slammed into an SUV filled with five people.
The two children, ages 11 and 9, survived the crash with unknown injuries. Two of the three adults, ages 39 and 56, also survived with unknown injuries. Emergency responders transported the four survivors to an area hospital for treatment. The fifth occupant of the vehicle, a 32-year-old passenger, suffered fatal injuries. The 23-year-old driver of the wrong-way vehicle was taken to another hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Why the driver was traveling the wrong way on the bridge is not yet known, which is often the case in the first hours and days following vehicle accidents such as this one. At last report, authorities had not determined what charges, if any, to file against the wrong-way driver. However, that does not preclude the family of the deceased passenger, the families of the injured children or the other two adult victims from seeking restitution through a personal injury or wrongful death claim, as applicable, in an Ohio civil court.
