MIAMI COUNTY, Ohio (WDTN) — A three-vehicle crash on I-75 in Miami County Monday resulted in two people’s deaths and serious injuries to two others.
According to the Dayton post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a set of tandem tires detached from a southbound tractor-trailer near mile marker 66 around 11 a.m. and crossed the median into oncoming northbound traffic.
The tires first sideswiped a Dodge Caravan heading north before striking a northbound Chevrolet Express van driven by David Wright, 77, of Franklin, head-on.
Wright and one of his passengers, Jon Weidel, 72, Brookville, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Two of Wright’s other passengers — James Keller, 58, Franklin, and Ray Adams, 71, Morrow — were taken to Miami Valley Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. A fifth occupant of the van, Charles Backus III, 79, Centerville, was taken to Upper Valley Medical Center with no injuries.
“This is an absolute freak accident,” said Cameron Haller, chief of Tipp City Emergency Services. “I know that semi-trailers do all kinds of preventative maintenance. It just, this time it just mechanically didn’t work out.”
Haller reported that only minimal damage was caused to the other vehicle struck.
“That driver is extremely fortunate,” said Haller of the driver of the Dodge Caravan initially struck by the tires.
