Drivers flown to hospital after serious crash

Two people were flown by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital after a head-on crash in Urbana Twp. in Champaign County.

The crash occurred shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday in the 3500 block of Ohio 54. The driver of a 2010 silver Honda, Randall Hayes, struck a 2009 black Toyota SUV, driven by Geraldine Taylor.

It’s unknown why the two cars collided, said Chief Deputy Rick Jordan with the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office.

Taylor hit the dashboard with enough force that her body bent the steering wheel, even though she was wearing her seat belt and the vehicle’s air bag deployed, Urbana Fire Capt. Dave Torsell said.

“It was an extremely serious crash (that) was high speed, head-on,” he said.

Hayes was able to get out of his vehicle on his own, and bystanders pulled the female driver out out of her vehicle.

Torsell said both were conscious when they were taken by medical helicopter to the Dayton hospital. The transport was done as a precaution, given the amount of destruction caused in the crash and the force with which the vehicles struck each other, the fire captain said.

Deputies are waiting to speak with the drivers to determine what factors might have contributed to the crash. It remains under investigation.

The roadway was shut down for about 90 minutes while crews investigated and cleaned up the crash.

That stretch of Ohio 54 isn’t a common scene for crashes, Torsell said. Many of the county’s roads are no passing zones with dips, twists and turns, he said, so drivers need to be cautious so they can be prepared for what’s ahead.

“People need to slow down and they need to be aware of the markings on the highway. They were put there for a reason,” he said.

About the Author