A motorcyclist heading north on I-75 southbound caused a series of crashes near Bowling Green Monday night (Aug. 10), resulting in several injuries.
Just before 10 p.m. State Highway Patrol troopers from the Bowling Green Post responded to Interstate 75 in search of a wrong way driver. Trooper Jeffery Huffman, 30, of the Bowling Green Post was driving southbound in the left lane, near US 6 (mile post 179) in Center Township when he observed a motorcycle coming north in the southbound lanes towards oncoming traffic. Trooper Huffman, operating a 2019 Dodge Charger, moved onto the inside shoulder with his overhead emergency lights activated and was almost stopped when his vehicle was struck by a 2009 Harley Davidson, operated by Daniel Stover, 52, of Findlay.
Stover was ejected from the motorcycle. He sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical
Center in Toledo by ground ambulance.
Trooper Huffman sustained minor injuries and was transported to Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo. His vehicle sustained minor front end damage and the Harley Davison sustained heavy damage.
At the same time Huffman was intercepting the wrong way driver, a 2020 Dodge Ram, operated by Darrell Lanier, 58, of Lambertville, Michigan was slowing in the right lane when it was rear ended by a 2008 Kawasaki motorcycle, operated by Ryan Gleckler, 35, of Bluffton.
Gleclker was ejected from the motorcycle. He sustained serious injuries
and was transported to Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo by ground ambulance. Lanier and his passenger, Mary Lanier, 57, of Lambertville, were wearing their seat belts and were not injured.
Their truck sustained minor damage and Gleclker’s Kawasaki sustained heavy damage.
The crash remains under investigation and impairment appears to be a factor in regards to the wrong way driver.
Southbound Interstate 75 was closed following the crash, re-opening at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Wood County Sherriff’s Office, Bowling Green Fire Division, Central Joint Fire District, the Ohio Department of Transportation, Wright Tire & Auto, and Pat & Son Towing and Recovery.
The highway patrol reminds motorists to call #677 when they see a reckless or impaired driver.
