A 3-month-old infant and several juveniles were among those injured in two separate crashes on US 35 in Jackson County on Wednesday.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol said the first crash happened around 3:35 p.m. near milepost 21.
According to troopers, Randy Adkins Jr., 52, of Gallipolis, was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo northwest on US 35 when he traveled off the left side of the roadway into the median.
Troopers said Adkins continued back onto US 35, where his vehicle struck a 2017 Ford F-150 driven by Byron Cullison, 23, of Lima, and then struck a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Makayla Chaney, 23, of Jackson. Both the F-150 and Equinox were traveling southeast.
Adkins was transported to Holzer Medical Center in Gallipolis and later transferred to OSU Medical Center in Columbus with serious injuries.
Cullison and two passengers, Ayva Brickner, 20, and a 3-month-old infant, were transported to Holzer Medical Center in Jackson for minor injuries.
Chaney was treated at the scene. Two juvenile passengers in her vehicle were also transported to Holzer Medical Center in Jackson for minor injuries.
The crash shut down US 35 while emergency crews responded.
The Jackson Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Jackson County EMS, Jackson County ODOT, and the Bloomfield Township Fire Department.
Second US 35 Crash Reported Less Than Two Hours Later
Less than two hours after the three-vehicle crash, troopers were called to another serious crash on US 35.
That crash happened around 5:17 p.m. at the intersection of US 35 and County Road 41 in Bloomfield Township.
According to OSHP, Meghan Ahlgrim, 44, of Deerfield, Illinois, was driving a white 2022 Chevrolet Equinox eastbound on US 35 and attempted to turn left onto County Road 41.
Troopers said Ahlgrim failed to yield to oncoming traffic and was struck by a westbound 2026 Freightliner semi driven by Martell Purley, 41, of Florissant, Missouri.
Ahlgrim and two other occupants in her vehicle sustained serious injuries and were transported to Holzer Hospital in Jackson by Jackson County EMS.
Purley was not injured.
Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Department of Transportation, Bloomfield Township Fire Department, Jackson County EMS, and Angles Towing.
Both crashes remain under investigation.
