ANNA, Ohio (WDTN) – Members of the Wittenberg University football team were involved in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 Monday afternoon.
The crash left Miles Laboy, class of 2019 from Gaithersburg, Md., dead. The other three are expected to recover.
Driver Rashon Edwards, 19, of Cincinnati, and his passengers, Mike Laboy, 18, Dorian Hunter, 20, of Springfield, and Akili Mosley, 24, of Los Angeles, California, were traveling from Michigan back to school at Wittenberg University in Springfield, said Trooper Mark Murra with the Ohio State Highway Patrol Piqua Post, who spoke with our partners at the Sidney Daily News.
“In my interview with the driver, he said he fell asleep,” said Murray.
Laboy, who was in the front passenger’s seat, and Hunter, who was in the middle row seating behind the driver, were both ejected from the vehicle, said Murray. Mosley was riding in the third row seating on the left side and was “possibly” ejected, according to the Sidney Daily News.
“The driver had a seat belt on,” Murry said at the time of the crash. “Laboy and Hunter were not wearing seat belts. I’m unsure about Mosley as I haven’t been able to talk to him yet.”
Edwards and Mosley were both transported to Lima Memorial Hospital via ambulance. Mosley, who suffered a broken arm, has been treated and released. Edwards, said Murray, is in stable condition and is expected to be transferred to a hospital in Cincinnati.
According to the 2015 Wittenberg football roster, Edwards, Mosley and Laboy are all members of the team.
“This is a tremendously difficult time for everyone in the Wittenberg football family,” said Fincham, who has been involved in the program since 1990 and the head coach since 1996. “Our coaches, alumni and team members are focused on providing as much support as possible to the young men who survived the accident, and we join Miles’ family in grieving this terrible loss.“Miles was an outstanding young man and a valued teammate with a bright future ahead of him. Our thoughts and prayers are with Miles’ family and friends.” – Head Coach Joe Fincham
At approximately 12:30 p.m., a 2002 Green Ford Explorer was travelling south on Interstate 75 at milepost 98, just south of Anna, when the vehicle drifted off the left side of the road, overturned, and ended up off the right side of the road of northbound lanes.
Emergency crews from Anna, Botkins, Sidney, and Minster were on scene along with representatives from the Ohio Department of Transportation to assist with the clean-up and traffic control. In addition, several by-standers offered their assistance to the occupants while first responders arrived on scene, according to the press release.
The crash, however, remains under investigation, said Murray. Charges are pending against Edwards, which will probably include failure to control. Once the investigation is completed, investigators will consult with the Shelby County Prosecutors Office to determine appropriate charges.
The northbound lanes of Interstate 75 were blocked for approximately three hours while the injured were treated and the scene was cleared of a large amount of debris.
