2 Columbus medics injured in crash
Two medics were hospitalized Wednesday after another driver ran a red light and struck their ambu- lance while they were taking a crash victim to the hospital, our media partner 10tv. com reported.
The life squad’s lights and sirens were on when the crash happened shortly before 5 p.m. at the intersection of East Broad Street and North Grant Avenue in downtown Columbus, Fire Battalion Chief Steve Martin told the news station.
The victim inside the ambulance, two medics and the driver of the other vehicle were taken to Grant Medical Center in stable condition.
The ambulance is believed to be totaled.
JobsOhio, the state’s private nonprofit development corporation, will double its annual spending down the road on loans and grants, the group’s director told the board in a quarterly meeting.
JobsOhio normally spends around $150 million a year, but that will rise to about $300 million, J.P. Nauseef said at t he board’s recent quarterly meeting in Youngstown, according to Gongwer News Service.
JobsOhio also plans to grow beyond its traditional focus on advanced manufacturing, the automotive sector and technology, Nauseef said. That could include retaining and expanding the state’s federal workforce, an effort expected to cost $3-5 million a year.
The organization also has a goal of doubling the number of graduates with in-demand degrees in science, technol- ogy, engineering and math over the next five to 10 years, he said. That could involve a $75-150 million investment over five years.
Ohio had one of its dead- liest Christmas holidays on the roads in recent years, with 12 fatalities.
The deaths were recorded over a two-day reporting period, Tuesday and Wednesday, the State Highway Patrol said in a news release.
The 12 deaths were more than 11 that occurred over five days in 2018 and nine fatalities in 2017 that occurred over four days.
There were 14 deaths on Ohio roadways in 2016, also recorded over four days.
“We need motorists to commit to keeping our roads safe by planning ahead to designate a sober driver and insisting that everyone in the vehicle is buckled up,” said Col. Richard S. Fambro, the Patrol’s superintendent.
“Motorists can help fight the battle against impaired driving by actively influenc- ing friends and family to do the same,” Fambro added.
The number of enforcement actions undertaken by the State Highway Patrol was down considerably for this Christmas holiday com- pared to 2018. But that can be explained by the fact the numbers were compiled over two days this year rather than four in 2018 because Christmas didn’t fall on a weekend day.