From staff reports
Two crashes occurred about five miles apart within an hour Thursday afternoon in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 in the Clintonville and Barkeyville areas.
Both crashes involved vehicles that struck semis from behind, and the drivers of the vehicles that hit the semis were flown from the scene by STAT MedEvac helicopters, according to Clintonville fire chief Gerry Rea.
The first crash was at about 3 p.m. at mile marker 32 in the I-80 eastbound lanes between Clintonville and Barkeyville, Rea said. A white SUV struck a semi box trailer from behind, according to Rea.
Rea said he and his firefighters were clearing the scene about an hour later when they were called to the second crash at the 27 and one-half mile marker at Barkeyville just west of the Mercer County lane. A blue Chevy pickup had slammed into the back of a semi, Rea said.
The driver of the pickup, who was identified by Rea as a Parker man, was flown to a hospital by a STAT MedEvac helicopter. Rea said that man’s injuries were serious.
Rea said I-80 had reopened, at least in one lane, by about 7:30 p.m.
Franklin state police were investigating both crashes Thursday evening.
