Salem Police say two occupants of a van were injured when it collided with a gas tank truck where West Main Street narrows to two lanes at the Selmaville Road intersection.
Police say the van driver, 72-year-old Patricia Crippen of West McMackin Street in Salem, was traveling next to the truck when the road went down to one lane. She continued to try and pass the truck on the shoulder. When she attempted to pull in front of the tanker her car clipped the front bumper of the semi, Her car was then drug in front of the truck until the driver, 45-year-old Joshua Edwards of Xenia, was able to brake. The van then crossed the eastbound lanes of West Main and stopped in the ditch on the south side of the road.
Salem Police say both Crippen and a passenger, 73-year-old Mary Beard of Glenwood Acres, were still in the vehicle when emergency help arrived. However, Salem Fire Protection District Firemen say the two were not trapped, but just needed assistance getting out of the vehicle and loaded onto United Medical Response ambulances to be taken to Salem Township Hospital for treatment.
The driver of the truck declined medical treatment.
While the van was a total loss, the truck only had its front bumper ripped off.
The crash occurred at 10:52 on Sunday morning.
The oil tanker truck in the crash only had its front bumper torn off. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
