FOSTORIA - Three people were taken by Life Flight to Toledo hospitals after two crashes near Fostoria Friday evening.
The first accident was on US 23 and left one person critically injured and another seriously injured.
The second accident occurred on SR 18, east of Fostoria.
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PHOTO BY JILL GOSCHE
Life Flight leaves the scene of an accident in the 10000 block of SR 18, near Fostoria, Friday evening.
Sgt. Greg Greggila of the Fremont post of State Highway Patrol said David R. Reinhart, 26, of Risingsun, was driving a 2003 Lincoln LS eastbound on SR 18 when the vehicle went off the right side of the road. The car hit a ditch, rolled end over end once and then struck a culvert used for access to a field.
The impact caused the car to spin sideways in the air.
The car traveled about 500 feet from the time it left the roadway until it came to rest in the 10000 block of SR 18.
Greggila said Reinhart, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected and was lucky the car did not land on him.
"Alcohol is a factor," he said.
Reinhart was taken by Life Flight from the scene of the Loudon Township crash to University of Toledo Medical Center. A spokeswoman said the hospital did not have anyone with Reinhart's name Friday night.
Greggila, who had been monitoring vehicles' speeds on SR 18 near the scene about half an hour before the crash, said Reinhart was talking and sitting up at the scene.
Personnel from Bascom Joint Fire District, Bascom EMS, Fostoria Emergency Corps, Seneca County's Echo unit and State Highway Patrol responded to the accident, which occurred around 7:40 p.m. Friday.
Earlier Friday, a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Chelsea Diaz, 20, of Tiffin, was driving southbound on US 23 in Jackson Township when it went off the left side of the road, struck a ditch and overturned. The vehicle then struck a utility pole and tree, according to a release from State Highway Patrol.
Diaz and a passenger, Ryan Yoakum, 20, of Tiffin, were wearing seatbelts and were trapped in the vehicle. Jaws of Life was used to extricate them, the release states.
The release states they suffered non-life-threatening injuries. They were taken by Fostoria Fire Department to Fostoria Community Hospital and later were taken by Life Flight to The Toledo Hospital.
A hospital spokeswoman said Diaz was in critical condition and Yoakum was in serious condition Friday night.
The release states alcohol was not believed to be a factor in the crash, which occurred around 5:23 p.m. Friday.
American Electric Power, Fostoria Emergency Corps, Fostoria Fire Department, Fostoria Police Department and West Millgrove Fire Department assisted at the scene.
Both crashes were under investigation Friday night, according to information from State Highway Patrol.
