Dayton Daily News

Driver to be cited for hitting ambulance

- By Lawrence Budd Staff Writer

The Lebanon man driving the truck that crashed head-on into an ambulance is to face a driving-left-of-center citation.

The Lebanon man driving the truck that crashed head-on into an ambulance on Friday in Warren County is to face a driving-left-of-center citation, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Five people were injured just before 8 a.m. Friday in the town of Red Lion when a pick-up truck crashed head-on into a Lebanon ambulance on Ohio 122 transporti­ng a stroke victim with lights flashing and siren sounding, according to the patrol.

The ambulance wound up on its side and was totaled in the crash.

Marjorie Bottorff, 52, the person being transporte­d at the time of the crash, remained in serious condition on Monday at Miami Valley Hospital.

Jesse Jones, 21, of Lebanon is to be charged with driving left of center today in Warren County Court, Lt. Chuck O’Bryon said Monday.

O’Bryon indicated he did not expect that other charges would be filed in the crash.

“He wasn’t operating in a reckless manner,” O’Bryon said.

A preliminar­y crash investigat­ion determined the Ford F-250 truck driven by Jones swerved left of center and side-swiped a silver Infiniti G37 stopped for the ambulance, before crashing into the ambulance about 7:50 a.m.

Inside the ambulance were four people, including the driver and medic, who were not identified, front passenger Dale Bottorff, 63, of Lebanon, and his wife, the patient being transporte­d after suffering a stroke, according to reports.

Jones was released after being

treated at Atrium Medical Center for serious injuries, according to officials.

Dale Bottorff was no longer being treated at Atrium on Monday.

One of the injured medics had been released Friday afternoon, but the other one was expected to remain in the hospital overnight for a head injury, officials said.

The Infiniti driver, Branden Baker, 17, of Franklin, was uninjured.

Investigat­ion determined Jones was not speeding, driving under suspension or under the influence of alcohol or drugs or otherwise driving recklessly, O’Bryon said.

“There’s nothing additional we can do criminally,” O’Bryon said, “although it caused quite a bit of mayhem.”

The road was closed, while emergency workers dealt with the three-vehicle crash.

A utility crew was also working near the crash site.

“All I seen was the ambulance hit the truck — I’m not sure which one — but when it hit it, it just kind of went airborne over the side,” utility worker Dustin Williams told News Center 7.

Contact this reporter at 937-225-2261 or email larry.budd@coxinc.com.

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