ASHLAND - The Ashland Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is currently investigating a fatal crash involving a commercial vehicle and a SUV on U.S. 30 near Township Road 1255 in Ashland County. The incident occurred on August 17 at 11:23 p.m.
A Maroon Chevrolet HHR was eastbound on U.S. 30 in Mifflin Township when it went off the right side of the roadway and struck a guardrail. The vehicle then traveled back across the roadway, struck another guardrail and came to rest in the roadway. The passengers were able to exit the vehicle, which was then disabled in the roadway. One of the passengers returned to the vehicle to assist the driver and attempt to get it out of the roadway. While that individual was standing next to the Chevrolet, it was struck by a commercial vehicle traveling eastbound.
The Chevrolet initially had four occupants. Two passengers, William Wood, 16, and Mackenzie Howell, 20, both from Mansfield, had minor injuries from the first crash and were not in the vehicle when it was struck by the commercial vehicle. The driver of the Chevrolet, Kearsten Morrison, 19, Shelby, sustained serious injuries and was taken to Med Central Hospital by EMS. Morrison was later taken to Mount Carmel Hospital in Columbus by Life Flight. Jermaine Whitten, 19, Mansfield, who was standing outside of the Chevrolet when it was struck by the commercial vehicle, was pronounced deceased on scene.
The driver of the commercial vehicle was identified as Michael Makar, 54, Akron. Makar did not sustain any injuries.
Assisting on scene was the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Mifflin Township Fire and EMS, troopers from the Ashland and Mansfield posts, the Crash Reconstruction Unit, License and Commercial Standards, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and Bates and Reed’s Towing.
The crash remains under investigation and no charges have been filed at this time.