COLUMBUS – Two people were killed in a single vehicle crash on I-270 on the Northwest Side that shut down the westbound lanes of the interstate during the Monday evening rush-hour.
Another person died in a head-on collision on the Northeast Side a few hours later, police said.
A 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer was traveling westbound on I-270 just before the Sawmill Road exit ramp at approximately 2:50 p.m. when the SUV drifted to the left, struck the concrete median wall and drove to the right, striking an overhead streetlight, Det. Sean Tussing of the Columbus Division of Police Accident Investigation Unit said.
The driver of the vehicle was ejected and pronounced deceased at the scene while the passenger was taken to OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital where Tussing says they died a short time later.
The Accident Investigation Unit responded to the scene and initiated an investigation, which is ongoing, into the cause of the crash, Tussing said.
All of the westbound lanes of I-270 were closed at SR 315 for several hours during the initial investigation.
Just after 5:30 p.m., a head-on crash claimed the life of one person near the intersection of Morse Road and Maize Roads, Accident Investigation Unit Det. Todd Eagon said.
A 2012 Kia Soul traveling eastbound on Morse Road was approaching the intersection with Maize Road when a 2017 Honda Civic went left of center for unknown reasons and struck the Kia head-on, Eagon said.
The driver of the Kia died a short time later at the OSU Wexner Medical Center while the driver of the Honda was taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Eagon said.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.