Two crashes involving semi-trucks were reported Monday in Champaign County, sending one driver to the hospital with injuries and resulting in multiple citations, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The first crash occurred early in the morning at approximately 7:13 a.m. on U.S. 68, just north of Dallas Road in Urbana Township. Troopers from the Springfield Post say a 2010 Nissan Xterra, operated by 23-year-old Lake Stairwalt of Urbana, was traveling northbound when it crossed left of center and sideswiped a southbound 2016 Kenworth T680 tractor-trailer driven by 34-year-old Heaven Pitts of Lynchburg.
Stairwalt sustained minor injuries and was transported by ground ambulance to Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital for treatment. He was cited for driving left of center on a two-lane roadway. Pitts was not injured in the crash, and the semi remained upright following the collision.
Later that morning, at approximately 11:10 a.m., troopers responded to a second crash involving a semi at the intersection of State Route 54 and State Route 4 in Union Township.
Investigators say a 2008 Lexus ES350, operated by 20-year-old Thomas Leach of London, was traveling eastbound on State Route 54 when it failed to yield at a stop sign. The vehicle entered the intersection and was struck by a northbound 2026 Freightliner Cascadia tractor-trailer operated by 37-year-old Nathan Sturgeon of Horse Cave, Kentucky.
Following the impact, both vehicles traveled off the northeast side of the roadway, with the semi overturning after leaving the intersection.
Leach was transported by ground ambulance to Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital with injuries and was cited for failure to yield the right-of-way at a stop sign, as well as for using tinted glass and other vision-obscuring materials. Sturgeon sustained minor injuries and was transported to Springfield Regional Medical Center.
Both crashes remain under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
