A three-vehicle crash recently occurred on I-75 in Portage Township, and multiple people were injured. Four people in total were injured in the Ohio car accident, but one person suffered critical injuries. The expressway was closed for around two hours following the incident.
At about 3:40 p.m., a car containing two occupants was traveling along the Interstate when the driver began to slow down. Reportedly, there was debris on the roadway, so the 25-year-old driver slowed down to avoid hitting it. However, the 18-year-old driver of a second car failed to subsequently slow her own vehicle to avoid a crash, and she ran into the first car.
The impact was so great that the first vehicle slammed into a big rig and ultimately the barrier wall as well. The driver of the first vehicle was transported to an area hospital, but he is now reportedly in fair condition. However, his passenger is still hospitalized with critical injuries. Two of the passengers in the second car suffered minor injuries but are also in fair condition. The driver of the big rig was not injured.
The Ohio car accident is still under investigation, and it is unclear whether the driver of the second vehicle will face any criminal charges. Regardless of whether the young woman will be charged criminally, the passenger in the first vehicle who was hospitalized with critical injuries may be able to file a personal injury suit against her. She could attempt to claim damages such as pain and suffering, lost wages and medical costs. To prevail, however, she will need to establish that the other driver negligently caused or substantially contributed to the accident and her resulting injuries.
Source: toledoblade.com, “Four people injured, one critically in crash in Portage Township“, Dec. 21, 2014