Oregon boy, 15, hurt in I-75 crash in Wood County

1/10/2014
BLADE STAFF

A 15-year-old from Oregon was seriously injured in a crash of a car and a commercial tractor pulling tandem trailers on I-75 in Wood County overnight.

Tyler P. Preston, who was a front-seat passenger in the car, is in 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, 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 lost control on the snow-covered roadway, slid into the right lane, and was struck by the truck, according to troopers, who said the car then went off the right side of the road and struck a snow embankment.

Mr. 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.

Both Mr. Moreno and his backseat passenger, Zachary David Ashton, 18, of Toledo, sustained minor injuries and were treated at Wood County Hospital. They both wore seat belts, troopers said.

The Preston youth, who did not wear a seat belt, was transported by ambulance from Wood County Hospital to Toledo.

The truck driver, who wore a seat belt, was not injured, troopers said.