2 seriously hurt in first of 2 crashes on U.S. 68

Credit: Bill Lackey/Staff

Credit: Bill Lackey/Staff

UPDATE @ 11 p.m.

One person suffered minor injuries this afternoon in a three-vehicle crash just north of a crash on U.S. 68 that seriously injured a married Urbana couple.

In the first crash, reported at 3:15 p.m., a 2017 gold Ford Escape turned west from south U.S. 68 onto Hickory Grove Road into the path of a northbound black 2000 Mitsubishi sport-utility vehicle. The Mitsubishi struck the right side of the Ford, causing heavy damage to both vehicles, according to the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver of the Escape, 60-year-old Janis M. Vincent, and her husband, 63-year-old James E. Vincent, were taken by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. Their conditions were not available tonight. The driver of the Mitsubishi, Taylor A. Gorr, 21, of Urbana, was not hurt, deputies said.

The crash remains under investigation.

The second crash was reported around 4:30 p.m. when a gray 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck traveling south on U.S. 68 did not stop for slowed traffic, according to the sheriff’s office.

The pickup’s driver, 30-year-old Dustin W. Meadows of Cable, Ohio, struck a 1996 green Mercury driven by Robert J. Smith, 74, of Urbana. Smith’s pickup then struck a black 2014 Ford pickup driven by William R. David, 50, of Springfield. Smith was taken by Urbana EMS to Urbana Mercy Hospital with minor injuries, deputies said.

Meadows was cited for assured clear distance, the sheriff’s office said.

FIRST REPORT

Two people were seriously injured in a crash on U.S. 68 and Hickory Grove Road in Champaign County.

Two sport-utility vehicles collided near that intersection. The two injured parties were from the same vehicle. No one in the other SUV was injured.

The injured were flown via CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital, according to officials at the scene.

While Champaign County Sheriff's deputies were working to get traffic moving again, a second crash occurred 
just north of the first crash scene. Three cars were involved and there was one minor injury.

As of 5 p.m. traffic was moving on Hickory Grove Road but not on U.S. 68, which was blocked in both directions.

About the Author