DAYTON — At press time, the Dayton Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol continued its investigation into two-separate crashes — a two-vehicle hit-skip crash and a two-vehicle quadruple fatal crash which followed the hit-skip crash on Monday, April 1.
A Lewisburg man was one of the four killed in the fatal crash.
The initial two-vehicle hit-skip crash occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m., on Interstate 70 near mile post 32 in Butler Township, Montgomery County. The second two-vehicle quadruple fatal crash occurred at approximately 2:16 p.m. at the intersection of Terminal Road and Boeing Drive in Dayton, Montgomery County, according to the OSP.
The preliminary investigation revealed a 2023 Volvo XC-90 B5, operated by Clayton Hughes, 26, Blacklick, and a 2019 Nissan Frontier, operated by James Skipper, 60, Dayton, were traveling east on Interstate 70. The Volvo rear-ended the Nissan. The Volvo failed to stop and fled the scene of the crash. The Nissan followed the Volvo giving the hit-skip vehicle information to an Emergency Communications Center. The Volvo exited Interstate 70 to Airport Access Road. The Volvo continued northeast on Terminal Road, an OSP media release noted.
A 2022 Chrysler Pacifica, operated by Larry Edwards, 77, Tipp City, was traveling southwest on Terminal Road, making a left turn to travel east onto Boeing Drive. The Volvo struck the Chrysler in the intersection. Edwards and three of his four passengers — Stephen Cassel, 72, Clayton; Richard Coatney, 77, Piqua, and Richard Turnbull, 66, of Lewisburg, succumbed to fatal injuries at the scene of the crash.
Edwards’ fourth passenger, Juan Nash, Dayton, was transported by ground ambulance to Miami Valley Hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries.
Hughes was transported by ground ambulance to Kettering Health-Dayton with non-life-threatening injuries. Skipper was not injured as a result of the initial crash.
Impairment is suspected of being a factor in both of the crashes, according to an OSP media release.
The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Vandalia Division of Fire & EMS, Butler Township Fire Department & EMS, Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, Dayton International Police Department and Englewood Truck Towing & Recovery.
