Lt. Todd Tennant of the Miami County Sheriff’s Office leads the department’s crash reconstruction team as they investigate a two-vehicle crash that occurred at the intersection of Palmer Road and U.S. Route 40 on Wednesday evening. The crash resulted in five victims being transported, one aboard CareFlight. Deputies said that the oldest of the five victims was 18 years old.
BETHEL TOWNSHIP, Miami County — At least five victims were transported, one aboard CareFlight, following a two-vehicle crash on U.S. Route 40 at Palmer Road around 6 p.m. Wednesday evening.
According to a release from Miami County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Steve Lord, a preliminary investigation revealed that the crash was caused due to failure to yield the right of way at a stop sign.
A car and a truck were involved in the crash and the car had five occupants and the truck contained only one driver.
Miami County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Todd Tennant said the impact caused the truck to veer off into a nearby wheat field while the car appears to have rolled multiple times, coming to rest on its wheels.
At least one victim was trapped in the car. First responders used hydraulic tools to free the trapped victim. All occupants in the car were injured with some of the injuries being severe, Lord said. The driver of the truck was also treated for his injuries, according to Lord.
Bethel Township Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and CareFlight was summoned, along with mutual aid medics from Tipp City, Bethel-Clark, Vandalia and New Carlisle.
A second CareFlight medical helicopter was called but later left without a second patient.
The names and ages of the victims are not available, but investigators said they believe the oldest of the five victims was 18 years old. Their current conditions remain unknown, Lord said.
The investigation is being handled by the sheriff’s office’s crash reconstruction team.
