Oregon teen hurt in Wood Co. crash

Passenger injured on I-75

1/11/2014

A 15-year-old Oregon teen was in critical condition Friday after a car collided with a semi on I-75 in Wood County.

Tyler P. Preston, who was a front-seat passenger in the car, was taken to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol's Bowling Green post. 

The crash occurred about 1:50 a.m. Friday on southbound I-75 in Middleton Township, according to troopers.

The car driven by Gage Edward Moreno, 17, also of Oregon, and the truck driven by Allen Rae Relitz, 53, of Grass Lake, Mich., were both southbound on I-75 when the car, in the left lane, attempted to pass the truck, troopers said.

The car driver lost control of the vehicle on the snow-covered roadway, causing it to slide into the right lane, where it was struck by the truck, which was pulling tandem trailers, according to troopers.

The car then went off the right side of the road and struck a snow embankment.

Young Moreno was cited for failing to maintain reasonable control and for operating a vehicle during restricted hours, which is in violation of his probationary driver’s license, the patrol said.

Both the Moreno youth and his backseat passenger, Zachary David Ashton, 18, of Toledo, suffered minor injuries and were treated at Wood County Hospital. Both wore seat belts, troopers said.

The Preston youth, who did not wear a seat belt, was taken from Wood County Hospital to St. Vincent.

The truck driver was not injured, troopers said.