OHIO — Two people were injured, one of them critically, in a two-vehicle crash Thursday night along Interstate 75 north of Wapakoneta.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred just before 10:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes at milepost 114 in Duchouquet Township. The incident shut down that portion of the highway for more than three hours.
Troopers say a Rivian pickup truck, driven by Mason Tyler, 34, of Sidney, had stopped in the left lane of the interstate near a temporarily closed rest area. Investigators allege Tyler was impaired at the time.
A northbound Pontiac Grand Prix, driven by Aaron Blauvelt, 23, of Lima, struck the rear of the stopped truck at highway speed. The impact forced Blauvelt’s vehicle off the roadway into the grassy area between the highway and the rest area parking lot, trapping him inside. The Rivian spun and came to rest facing south in the passing lane.
Emergency crews spent about an hour freeing Blauvelt from the wreckage. He was transported to Lima Memorial Hospital with critical injuries and later flown by medical helicopter to Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
Tyler was treated for minor injuries at Lima Memorial Hospital and later released. He was cited for operating a vehicle while impaired and for illegally stopping on a highway.
No passengers were involved in the crash.
Fire and EMS crews from Wapakoneta and Cridersville responded to the scene, along with deputies from the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Lima Police Department. Members of the Auglaize County CERT assisted with traffic control, diverting northbound traffic onto State Route 67.
All lanes of I-75 reopened around 2 a.m. Friday. The crash remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
