Saturday, July 01, 2000

Crash kills woman on Ronald Reagan Hwy.

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Another woman critically injured

By Lew Moores
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP — A 41-year-old Carthage woman was killed Friday morning when she drove across the median on Ronald Reagan Highway and collided with a car heading in the other direction, critically injuring its driver.

FIREFIGHTERS FROM SPRINGFIELD AND COLERAIN TOWNSHIPS, NORTH COLLEGE HILL AND MOUNT HEALTHY RESCUE BONNIE MADILL FROM HER CAR ON RONALD REAGAN HIGHWAY. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        Springfield Township police said Debra Abbott was heading west on the highway near Arlington Cemetery when she crossed the median into the eastbound lanes of the highway.

        She collided head-on with a car driven by Bonnie Madill, 48, of Colerain Township. Ms. Abbott was killed and Ms. Madill was taken by University Air Care to University Hospital, where she is in critical condition.

        Police said Ms. Abbott's car, after colliding with Ms. Madill, was then struck by a truck driven by Scott Williams Jr., of Indianapolis, heading east, and a Rumpke truck driven by Pauline Reiff of Hamilton. Ms. Abbott's car came to a stop in the median.

        The truck drivers were not injured.

        Springfield Township Police Officer Louis Medecke said the accident is still under investigation and they do not know why Ms. Abbott crossed the median.

        “None of the witnesses are indicating excessive speed was involved,” said Officer Medecke.

        Colerain Township Fire Chief Bruce Smith said he was surprised there are no concrete barriers or guardrails separating the east and west lanes of the highway.

        “This is probably one of the newest sections of highway in Hamilton County and it has no safety barriers, no guardrails,” said Chief Smith. “This might be the first serious accident there, but unless the state does something to separate those two lanes of traffic with a barrier, it's not going to be the last.”

        Kim Patton, spokeswoman for District 8 of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), said the median at this stretch of highway is 40 feet wide, and a concrete barrier is not called for because of its width.

        “There are certain standards for when a barrier is required and when it is not,” said Ms. Patton.

        Those standards take into account traffic volume, speed limit, slope and curve of the roadway. In this case, she said a median of 35 feet is required.

        “In this case it's actually 40 feet, so it fits in that criteria,” said Ms. Patton.

        “It wouldn't hurt to have a concrete barrier there,” said Officer Medecke.

        But, he said, he knows of only two crashes on that section of highway, and the first was not too serious.

        Ms. Patton said officials from ODOT's traffic safety department will inspect that stretch of highway and examine the police report.

        “They're going to look at anything on that road that could have contributed to an accident,” said Ms. Patton. “They'll determine if there are any changes that need to be made.”

       

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