VERMILLION TOWNSHIP — A Friday morning three-vehicle crash on U.S. Route 30 left two motorists dead at the scene and sent two others to the hospital.
Dodge Dart driver Malachi James Harley John Whitehead, 23, of Wooster, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Ford transit van driver David L. Kuhns, 61 of Wooster, was also pronounced deceased at the scene, according to the Ashland Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Troopers were dispatched to a serious injury crash involving three vehicles on U.S. Route 30 and State Route 511 at approximately 6 a.m.
The three vehicles involved included a 2015 Dodge Dart heading northbound on State Route 511, a 2024 Peterbilt semi-truck and trailer heading eastbound on U.S. Route 30 approaching State Route 511 and a 2020 Ford transit van heading westbound on U.S. 30, also approaching State Route 511, according to a press release from OSHP.
The Dodge Dart failed to stop at the stop sign on State Route 511 at the intersection of U.S. 30 and was struck by the Peterbilt semi-truck. After the collision, the Peterbilt semi-truck went off of the left side of the roadway across the median and into the westbound lanes of U.S. 30, according to the release.
The Peterbilt semi-truck then struck the Ford transit van who was westbound on U.S. 30.
The Peterbilt semi-truck and the Ford transit van came to a final rest off of the north side of U.S. 30.
The driver of the Peterbilt semi-truck, Mac A. Johnston, 24 of South Pasadena, Florida, was transported by EMS to University Hospitals Samaritan Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the release.
A juvenile passenger from the Ford transit van was life-flighted to Ohio Health Mansfield Hospital with serious injuries, according to the release.
All occupants involved in the crash were wearing their safety belts at the time of the crash.
Alcohol and drugs are not suspected as factors in this crash.
The incident remains under investigation, according to the release.
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, The Ohio Department of Transportation, Ashland County Emergency Management Agency, Ashland Fire and EMS, Hayesville Fire and EMS, Life-Flight, Ashland County Coroner and Aber’s Towing also assisted at the scene.