BLANCHESTER — A high-speed crash on Wednesday afternoon sent a local driver to the hospital, damaged other vehicles and killed a dog, police said.
According to a news release from Blanchester Police Chief Scott Reinbolt, at around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday police were called to a traffic accident at Bourbon Street and South Broadway Street. Blanchester Emergency Medical Service and the Blanchester-Marion Township Fire Department also responded.
He said the driver was trapped inside the car — a silver 2010 Ford Focus — and was extricated by firefighters, then transported to Miami Valley Hospital via medical helicopter.
Ptl. Kristen Jeffers investigated the crash with the assistance of troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
“Evidence gathered indicates the driver entered Blanchester traveling east on Bourbon Street (State Route 133) traveling at a ridiculously high rate of speed,” said Reinbolt. “Witnesses placed the car’s speed at between 75 and 100 miles per hour traveling in a residential area with a speed limit of 35 mph.
“The driver failed to stop at the intersection of Bourbon and South Broadway Street and continued east onto a side street,” Reinbolt continued. “Krimmer Towing is a business located on that side street. The car struck two cars that were stored in the tow company yard, appears to have gone airborne, and landed on some scrap material in the tow yard.
“A dog who was tied to the bumper of one of the stored cars was killed by the impact,” said Reinbolt. “An employee of Krimmer Towing was nearly struck by the speeding car. The speedometer of the car was damaged and frozen at 80 mph. There was no indication that the driver engaged the car’s brakes prior to impact.”
Reinbolt said the driver was identified as Donaven Haynes, 19, of Reeder Road in rural Blanchester.
Haynes has no prior driving record, said Reinbolt; however, he said police are working to obtain a blood sample from Haynes — who remains in the hospital — to determine if impairment was a factor.
