An 82-year-old Ohio man was seriously injured after a semi truck driver, who had apparently ingested methamphetamine and marijuana, ran a red light and crashed his vehicle into the 82-year-old’s pickup. The man who was injured in the truck accident was taken to a local hospital but was later transported by helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. Reportedly, the elderly man was still in the hospital’s intensive care unit on Wednesday, but he was said to be in stable condition.

The 52-year-old semi driver, also from Ohio, faces a preliminary charge of driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, which is a Class D felony charge that typically carries an 18-month prison sentence upon conviction. The man’s semi was pulling a grain trailer when it slammed into the pickup truck shortly after noon on Jan. 10. Witnesses of the accident said that the semi truck barreled into the intersection despite having a red-light signal. Police investigators said that there was no indication that the semi driver applied his breaks or tried to avoid a collision before crashing into the pickup.

Reportedly, a blood test administered by police indicated that the 52-year-old semi driver had traces of methamphetamine and marijuana in his blood when the accident occurred. A tube with meth in it was found in the semi driver’s shirt pocket, and in a nearby field, police located a plastic bag and a pipe which both contained marijuana. Additionally, police found in a nearby church parking lot a plastic container with more meth in it, plus a single Oxycontin pill was located in the glove compartment of the semi. A witness claims he saw the truck driver walking in a field and tossing away items just after the accident.

The semi driver, who is currently being held in a county jail, is likely to be charged with drug crimes. He may also expect to face a personal injury claim for the apparently reckless and negligent behavior that resulted in the 82-year-old’s serious injuries.

Source: thestarpress.com, “Semi driver arrested after traffic accident in Winchester,” Douglas Walker, Jan. 11, 2012