WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio – A crash involving a military vehicle on I-75 in West Chester left three people injured on Wednesday morning, causing the highway to be shut down for over an hour. The incident took place around 11:08 a.m. along the southbound lanes of I-75.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that a military Humvee was traveling southbound, alongside a freightliner and a tractor-trailer, when the crash occurred. Initially, the Humvee and the freightliner were in the right exit lane to I-275 west, while the tractor-trailer was in the right middle lane. The Humvee then merged into the right middle lane before moving back into a right exit lane. As the Humvee merged back into the exit lane, it struck the side of the freightliner, causing it to hit the Peterbilt and resulting in the Humvee veering off the road and overturning into a line of trees.
One individual from the Humvee was ejected during the crash and was taken to the University of Cincinnati hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The other two occupants of the Humvee sustained minor injuries and were also transported to the same hospital for treatment. Fortunately, the drivers of the freightliner and tractor-trailer did not suffer any injuries as a result of the collision.
Following the crash, I-75 was closed for at least an hour, leading to significant traffic delays. While the lanes have since reopened, heavy backup on the highway persisted for hours. Some vehicles had to be redirected to the northbound lanes, causing closures in that direction as well.
The military units involved in the crash belonged to the 637th Chemical Company based in Kettering and were en route to training in Indiana when the accident occurred. The Chemical Company is part of the Ohio National Guard. The Ohio State Highway Patrol continues to investigate the cause of the crash to determine any contributing factors.
Overall, the collision on I-75 in West Chester serves as a reminder of the risks associated with highway travel and the importance of safety measures for all vehicles on the road.