WAPAKONETA — Two people are being treated for serious injuries after a two-vehicle crash early Friday morning in Auglaize County.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, at approximately 3:09 a.m., Wardell Newsome III, 55, of Chicago was driving a black 2021 Freightliner semi north on Interstate 75 at milepost 111 when his trailer was struck by a white 2008 Mercury Mariner SUV driven by Joseph V. Cunningham of Monroe, Michigan.
Cunningham’s vehicle traveled off the left side of the roadway and came to rest in the median, while Newsome was able to pull off the road onto the right shoulder. Cunningham’s vehicle was severely damaged while Newsome suffered minor damage to the trailer.
Cunningham, along with his passenger, Benjamin J. Cunningham, 19, also of Monroe, were transported to Lima Memorial Health System with serious injuries. Newsome was uninjured.
All parties were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, and distracted driving is suspected to be a factor.
