Hancock County accident injures 8

6/29/2009

BLUFFTON, Ohio - Eight people were injured early Sunday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash along I-75 in Hancock County in which both vehicles overturned in the median, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

Shyamasundar Maladkar, 40, of Sidney, Ohio, was traveling south in the freeway's right lane in Eagle Township at about 12:15 p.m. when he attempted to shift into the left lane.

He noticed a car driven by Joshua Stubenvoll, 26, of Hamilton, Ohio, already there, and swerved back into the right lane, said the patrol's Findlay post. Mr. Maladkar then lost control of his car, veered back into the left lane, and sideswipped Mr. Stubenvoll's vehicle.

Both vehicles ran off the left side of the highway and rolled in the median. Mr. Maladkar's vehicle came to rest on its top on the west side of the northbound lanes; Mr. Stubenvoll's vehicle came to rest on its wheels on the east side of the northbound lanes.

Mr. Maladkar and his three passengers, Savita Maladkar, 35, Vedanta Maladkar, 2, and Pradyumma Maladkar, 5, were transported to Blanchard Valley Hospital. Also transported to Blanchard were Mr. Stubenvoll and his three passengers, Cynthia Stubenvoll of Hamilton and Joe Brigner, 29, and Melissa Pennell of Kettering, Ohio.

All occupants of both vehicles wore seat belts, and troopers said none of the injuries was believed to be life-threatening. Further information on conditions was not available from the hospital.

Mr. Maladkar was ticketed for failing to stay in a marked lane, troopers said.