Drugs a suspected factor, police said
By Megan Alley
Sun staff
Two people are dead and one person injured after a three-vehicle crash that happened on Dec. 11 in Batavia Township.
Three cars were involved in the crash on state Route 125 near Laub Road in Batavia Township, according to a representative from the Batavia Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP).
Police were called to the scene at 11:32 a.m.
A preliminary investigation by OSHP showed that Douglas T. Needles, 42, of Amelia, was driving east on state Route 125 when he crossed into the westbound lanes, striking two other vehicles.
Those two vehicles were being driven by Douglas K. Hewitt, 55, of Estero, Florida, and Lisa Cardarelli, 48, of Cincinnati.
Needles and Hewitt were pronounced dead at the scene by the Clermont County Coroner’s Office.
Cardarelli was transported by Central Joint Fire EMS District to the Anderson Mercy Hospital with injuries. She is expected to survive those injuries, police said.
Police said drugs are suspected as a contributing factor in the crash.
State Route 125 was closed to traffic from Amelia-Olive Branch Road to McDonald’s, which is located at 1261 state Route 125, according to the Pierce Township Police Department’s Facebook page.
The severity of the crash kept the road closed until it was re-opened at 4:44 p.m. on Dec. 11, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Assistance at the scene was provided by the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, Pierce Township Police Department and Central Joint Fire EMS District, OSHP said.
The crash remains under investigation, OSHP said.