COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – One person is dead, and another has been hospitalized after a multi-vehicle crash occurred Thursday morning on Interstate 70 in east Columbus.
According to Columbus police, officers responded to a crash near Reynoldsburg on Interstate 70 near the Interstate 270 interchange and Brice Road just before 2 a.m. Two people were taken to an area hospital, one in critical condition, the other in stable condition.
Police said that the crash began when an unidentified adult was standing behind a 2003 Hyundai Sonata, which was stopped in the left lane of the highway. At the same time an adult driving a 2006 Saturn S2 was traveling east in the adjacent lane to the right and attempted to pass a vehicle in front of it, changing over to the left lane.
The Saturn then struck the adult and then the rear of the Hyundai, with the adult victim being propelled forward and over the Hyundai in the left lane and sending the Hyundai into the cable median guardrail. The Saturn rotated counterclockwise and came to rest in the No. 2 lane.
Columbus Fire Medic unit took the victims to an area hospital and at 3:02 a.m., the critical patient was pronounced dead.
The Columbus Police Accident Investigation Unit responded to the scene to process the crash and a witness told police that the Hyundai did not have any lights on at the time of the collision.
All lanes on I-70 East, and both exit ramps from I-270 to I-70 East were closed for nearly four hours, reopening at around 5:45 a.m.
Any person with knowledge of this crash is asked to contact the Accident Investigation Unit at (614) 645-4767. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may contact Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-8477.