A woman and a child were killed early Sunday morning in a crash involving a semi-truck in Auglaize County, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Troopers said the crash happened around 4:07 a.m. on Interstate 75 northbound near milepost 108 in Pusheta Township after a Ford Explorer went off the left side of the roadway, struck the median cable, and re-entered the highway before becoming disabled in the right lane.
Authorities said the SUV was being driven by 48-year-old Holly Williams of Howell, Michigan. Two passengers were inside the vehicle: 54-year-old James Johnson of Limestone, Tennessee, and an 11-year-old child from Howell, Michigan.
Investigators said Johnson exited the vehicle in an attempt to push it off the roadway when a Freightliner commercial truck struck the disabled SUV from behind. The impact pushed the vehicle off the roadway and into Johnson.
Johnson sustained minor injuries and was transported to Lima Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Williams and the 11-year-old child, both of whom were wearing seat belts, sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The semi-truck driver, identified as Charles Pagel, was wearing a seat belt and was not injured in the crash.
Authorities said alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be factors in the collision. The crash remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
