Small Town News

Accident injures Ohio couple

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A Wednesday afternoon crash on WYO-111 left an Ohio couple with significant injuries, according to Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Josh Gebauer. Kathleen and Michael O'Connell of Dayton, Ohio, had apparently exited Interstate 90 and were driving north toward Aladdin when it's unclear whether they had stopped at the stop sign and then proceeded or if the stop sign had not been noticed at all.

For reasons unknown, the Ohio car pulled out to cross the service road that runs along 1-90 and collided with a logging truck traveling in the eastbound lane. The truck, which was fully loaded, had passed through the intersection when the O'Connell car became entangled between the rear of the truck and the front end of the trailer. On impact, the trailer became disconnected from the truck and came to rest approximately 250 feet from the point of impact.

Kathleen O'Connell, who was driving the car, was airlifted to Rapid City Regional Hospital in South Dakota, with serious injuries. Michael O'Connell suffered significant injuries and was transported by ground ambulance to an unspecified hospital.

Truck driver Eric Cichosz, of Spearfish, South Dakota, was uninjured in the accident. According to the WHP report, Cichosz had just left the Port of Entry at Sundance where his truck was deemed underweight and traveling within legal limits.



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© 2009 The Sundance Times Sundance, Wyoming. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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