Sunday, February 14, 1999
Day of wrecks leaves 3 dead
Ice, snow contribute to accidents
BY TIM BONFIELD and RACHEL MELCER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Saturday was a bad day to be a motorist in Greater Cincinnati.
Starting with snow-related accidents late Friday night, accidents all over town claimed lives, caused injuries and snarled traffic for hours.
Late Friday, a 28-year-old Westwood man was killed and several people were injured in a dramatic multiple-car accident on the ramp from eastbound Interstate 74 to south bound Interstate 75.
Craig Scruggs, of 2459 Westwood-Northern Blvd., died shortly after arriving at University Hospital, said Sgt. Mike Zwick of the Cincinnati Police Department traffic unit.
He was a passenger in a Pontiac 6000 being driven by 24-year-old Lee Patterson, of 1639 Glen Parker Ave., Northside. Mr. Patterson refused treatment at the scene.
Authorities say icy road conditions and falling snow contributed to the pile-up. There were a dozen separate crashes beginning at about 10:30 p.m.
There were no other serious injuries reported, although several people were transported to hospitals where they were treated and released, Sgt. Zwick said.
Ten cars were towed away.
On Saturday, a Mount Orab couple driving to their great-grandchild's birthday party were killed in a head-on collision at about 9:30 a.m. on U.S. 68 in Clinton County.
Dennie A. Wooten, 70, and his wife Ruth, 71, were heading northbound around a slight curve near Hoskins Road when an oncoming car drifted into their lane, said Sgt. Bob Phillips of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Wilmington post.
The other driver, 19-year-old Christopher J. Byrd of 49 S. Murray Drive, Dayton, was listed in critical condition at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.
Meanwhile, a truck accident along the northwest part of I-275 had westbound traffic tied up for nearly 12 hours.
Problems started at about 4 a.m. Saturday, when a tractor-trailer heading west on I-275 slid off the highway between Winton Road and Hamilton Avenue. The truck went 200 feet down an embankment, police said.
There were no injuries, but efforts to pull the truck out had westbound I-275 closed partially at times and completely at others until 4:15 p.m., according to Forest Park police. Complicating the situation, several fender-benders occurred among the backed-up motorists.
That's not all. At 4:11 p.m., just after police opened all the westbound lanes, a wreck occurred a few miles east on
eastbound I-275 near Ohio 747. That accident left people trapped in a vehicle, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. An injury report was not available Saturday evening.
Then in Northern Kentucky, a four-car accident with injuries Saturday temporarily closed Brent Spence Bridge, causing northbound traffic to back up the I-75 cut in the hill.
The accident occurred at about 7 p.m. Injured motorists were taken to St. Elizabeth South, but condition reports were not available.
In Westwood, a head-on accident at about 1 p.m. Saturday on Montana Avenue caused three injuries, including one suffered by a nun.
A vehicle driven by Edward Dwelly Jr., 40, was westbound on Montana Avenue when he crossed the double-yellow line and struck a car driven by Sister Rose Frerick, 58.
Priscilla Dwelly, 14, was injured and was listed in good condition at University Hospital. Sister Frerick was taken to Good Samaritan, where she was in guarded condition. Mr. Dwelly suffered minor injuries but did not seek medical care.
Early Saturday in Hamilton, a police officer was struck by a car while investigating an accident on Neilan Boulevard. Officer Daryl Coppock was directing traffic when a car slid on the icy road and hit him. Officer Coppock was treated and released at Mercy Hospital Hamilton.
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