On behalf of Weisman, Kennedy & Berris Co., L.P.A. posted in car accident on Monday, August 20, 2012.

Traffic accidents are an unfortunate daily reality on the roads, but there are few more dangerous circumstances than a vehicle traveling the wrong way on an interstate. The high speeds involved make these situations especially hazardous, and it’s worse when alcohol plays a role, as allegedly occurred in a recent collision in Wood County.

A driver going the wrong way on Interstate 75 caused a two-vehicle crash Aug. 15 that sent one person to the hospital. Authorities believe alcohol was a factor in the car accident, which occurred near milepost 171 in the Cygnet area.

The collision was being investigated by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Investigators have determined that a 40-year-old man who lives in Lima entered the interstate going the wrong way. The driver headed southbound in the I-75 northbound lanes before striking another vehicle head-on. That vehicle was operated by a 53-year-old man from Dayton.

After being struck, the Dayton man’s vehicle careened off the interstate to the left and caught fire. The man driving the vehicle that had been going the wrong way left the scene and fled into an adjacent wooded area. Authorities were initially unable to find him after about four hours of searching. The injured man was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.

The wrong-way vehicle was heavily damaged in the crash and towed from the scene, and the Dayton man’s vehicle was entirely engulfed in flame and totaled. The accident caused the closing of I-75 for about two hours in both directions. Northbound traffic was not resumed for about five hours.

Anyone who has been injured in a car accident of this sort has a critical need for legal representation to ensure the victim’s rights are protected and proper compensation is awarded. The victim in this case not only suffered injuries; his vehicle burned and was totaled. To put one’s life back on track after such an experience, victims should be fully aware of their rights under our state’s personal injury laws.

Source: The Plain Dealer, “Wrong-way, head-on crash on I-75 hurts one,” Aug. 15, 2012