ASHLAND COUNTY, OH — A five-vehicle crash on US-30 in Ashland County left a 17-year-old girl dead and three other people seriously hurt after a Halloween evening collision near State Route 511. The wreck forced a shutdown of US-30 in both directions from late Thursday into the early hours of Nov. 1.

Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said the crash began when a 2010 Hyundai Elantra failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of State Route 511 and US-30. The collision set off a chain reaction that left multiple vehicles disabled and scattered debris across the roadway.

Troopers say the crash began at the Route 511 intersection

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the teenage driver of the Hyundai Elantra entered the intersection and struck a 2013 Jeep Wrangler traveling westbound on US-30. The Jeep was driven by Maximus Davis, 25, of Jeromesville.

After the impact, both vehicles crossed the median and came to rest disabled in the eastbound lanes of US-30. Troopers said the force of the crash created conditions that led to additional vehicles becoming involved moments later.

The highway patrol said the collision remains under investigation. For now, investigators have described it as a multi-vehicle crash that started with a failure to stop at the posted sign on State Route 511.

Teen passenger killed and three drivers taken to hospitals

The 17-year-old girl driving the Hyundai was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 17-year-old male passenger was flown by Metro Life Flight to Akron City Hospital with serious injuries.

Davis was first taken by Mifflin Fire and EMS to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital before being flown to Grant Medical Center with serious injuries. A second driver, James Cavera, 19, of Bowling Green, was taken to OhioHealth Mansfield by Jeromesville Fire and EMS after suffering serious injuries.

Troopers said two additional vehicles hit debris in the roadway after the initial crash, adding to the scale of the scene and the response needed along the highway.

US 30 closed for hours as crews cleared the scene

The crash shut down US-30 in both directions from about 0.3 miles beyond Koogle Road to State Route 60 in Ashland County. The closure lasted from the evening of Halloween into the early morning hours of Nov. 1.

Ohio Department of Transportation traffic notices and the highway patrol release both described the stretch as closed while investigators worked and emergency crews cleared the scene. The shutdown affected a major route through the county during a busy holiday period.

Crews from several agencies were needed to manage the response, direct traffic away from the wreck and help move injured people to hospitals. The scene involved more than one disabled vehicle and debris spread across the roadway.

Fire and EMS crews from several departments joined the response

OSHP said it was assisted by the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Fire and EMS, Mifflin Fire and EMS, Jeromesville Fire and EMS and Hayesville Fire and EMS. The number of agencies involved shows how quickly the crash escalated beyond a routine traffic incident.

Metro Life Flight was used to transport the teenage passenger because of the seriousness of the injuries, while other victims were taken by ground ambulance before one of them was later flown onward. That mix of ground and air transport reflected the severity of the wreck.

Officials have not released any additional details about the condition of the injured victims beyond describing their injuries as serious.

Seat belts were in use and troopers do not suspect drugs or alcohol

The highway patrol said everyone involved was wearing seat belts. Troopers also said they do not believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

Those details came as investigators continued piecing together the sequence of events at the intersection and along the eastbound lanes. The patrol has not said whether charges are expected.

For now, the crash stands as one of the most serious highway incidents in the area in recent memory, with one teenager dead, another juvenile critically hurt and two young adult drivers hospitalized after a night of holiday traffic turned deadly.