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An unidentified 14-year-old passenger is airlifted from the scene after sustaining critical injuries in a head-on collision with a semi-truck near the intersection of State Route 29 and Fleetfoot Road just west of Celina on Monday afternoon.
By ABIGAIL MILLER and WILLIAM KINCAID
newsroom@dailystandard.com
CELINA - Two Celina High School students were injured in a head-on collision with a semitrailer on Monday afternoon, with one of the teens airlifted from the scene with critical injuries.
At about 2:19 p.m, near the intersection of State Route 29 and Fleetfoot Road, a black Ford Focus driven by an unidentified 17-year-old male went left of center and crashed head-on into a semitrailer, according to a preliminary investigation relayed by Mercer County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Doug Timmerman.
The unidentified 14-year-old male passenger of the Ford Focus was airlifted by Lutheran Air to Dayton Children's Hospital with critical injuries, Timmerman said.
An unidentified 14-year-old passenger is airlifted from the scene after sustaining critical injuries in a head-on collision with a semi-truck near the intersection of State Route 29 and Fleetfoot Road just west of Celina on Monday afternoon.
The driver of the semitrailer was transported to Mercer County Community Hospital with non-threatening injuries.
The driver of the semitrailer, Puaar Gurpreet, 36, of California and the 17-year-old driver of the Ford Focus were reportedly transported via Mercer County Emergency Medical Services ambulance to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater with non-life threatening injuries.
Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be a factor in the accident, Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey said.
The sheriff's office crash reconstruction team was called to the scene, and the accident remains under investigation.
The county sheriff's office was assisted at the scene by Lutheran Air, Mercer County EMS, Celina Fire/EMS, Mercer County Emergency Response Volunteers and Mercer County Emergency Management Agency.
City and school leaders reacted to the news at meetings on Monday night, saying the two teens involved in the accident are members of the Celina High School wrestling and football teams.
Celina City Council President Jason King begin Monday night's special meeting with a prayer for the teens in the crash and their families.
"Two of my wrestlers were just involved in a serious car accident," he said.
The students were acknowledged during Celina City Schools board meeting, as various coaches were prescheduled to present an overview of their seasons and players.
"As was mentioned earlier, please keep our players and their families in your thoughts and prayers," said high school football coach Brennan Bader. "Serious situation involves two of our guys, two of our football players that I just saw five or six hours ago."
High school wrestling coach James Miracle also appeared upset.
"I had an entire speech prepared for today but as has been alluded to, both of the individuals involved in the accident are not only on the football team but also the wrestling team," he said.
Three people were injured in a head-on collision between a car and a semi-truck near the intersection of State Route 29 and Fleetfoot Road just west of Celina on Monday afternoon.
