The crash was reported at 7 p.m. just before the exit to Ohio 122. The highway remained closed most of the night; however, the right shoulder was opened to divert traffic onto Ohio 122, according to the highway patrol. I-75 South has since been reopened.
As of 11 p.m. troopers investigating the crash had not yet asked for any wreckers to remove any vehicles from the crash scene.
The patrol dispatch did not have information on the severity of the victim’s injuries, though OSHP reported in a release that four victims were taken to Atrium Medical Center, two were taken to UC’s West Chester Hospital and two were taken to Kettering Health Network’s Middletown location.
The cause and sequence of events that led to the crash remains under investigation, but the release said that alcohol and drugs did not appear to be a factor.
Dispatchers originally reported nine vehicles were involved in the crash, but a later release reported that only eight vehicles, including the truck, were involved.
The fatal crash comes as the region was hit by heavy rainfall; however, the patrol said it was too early to tell whether the weather was a factor in the crash.
Also, highways are busier than usual on the eve of Thanksgiving for the upcoming holiday, though AAA reports that travel is down from years past due to the coronavirus pandemic.
We will continue to update this report.
