BLUE ASH, Ohio — A 59-year-old woman was killed late Saturday night in a head-on crash on Ronald Reagan Highway and while police were investigating that crash, an officer inside a cruiser was also hit, the Blue Ash Police Department said.
The first crash happened around 11:30 p.m. on Ronald Reagan near the Blue Ash Road overpass.
Officers found that a wrong-way driver who was believed to be impaired struck a vehicle driving westbound, police said.
Police said 59-year-old Terri Lynn Hayes was killed in the crash. Roger Pohlman, assistant chief with Blue Ash police, told WCPO on Monday that Hayes was the wrong-way driver.
Two passengers in the other vehicle were also injured in the crash, which shut down the westbound lanes for hours.
"I want to say that the driver was missing a few toes so to me, that is a sign that she possibly had diabetes. So I mean, we're not ruling out that it could be a medical issue or an impairment issue," said Pohlman.
Around 2:26 p.m., While officers were investigating the crash, an impaired driver drove through the crash scene, police said. That driver struck a Blue Ash police cruiser with an officer inside. The officer was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Pohlman said Monday that officer reported feeling sore, but he should return to work in a matter of days.
That driver, 34-year-old Anna Marie Wabnitz, was arrested for an OVI, police said.
Impairment is also being investigated as a factor in the fatal crash.
Blue Ash Police Chief Scott Noel said these types of crashes are "totally preventable."
"Please do not get behind the wheel when you are impaired, and have a designated driver," Noel said.
Blue Ash Assistant Chief, Pohlman said there will be extra patrols as people travel for the holidays.
"The jurisdictions around Hamilton County that participate in the OVI task force, we have grant funding. So there will be extra cars out looking for impaired drivers to try to get those off the road to leave the road safer," said Pohlman.
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