RICHLAND COUNTY, Ohio — The Ohio State Highway Patrol has identified a trooper who was critically injured in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 71 early Thursday.
Trooper Jason Phillips was hit while responding to reports of an impaired driver. The driver involved in the wrong-way crash, Michael Marchak Jr. 36, of Mansfield, was determined to be the same impaired driver Phillips was dispatched to investigate.
OSHP has shared helicopter video from the scene:
According to OSHP, Phillips was flown to OSU Medical Center after the crash. Marchak is listed in critical condition at Ohio Health-MedCentral Hospital in Mansfield.
According to OSHP, the crash happened at about 2:40 a.m. near State Route 95 along the Richland County/Morrow County line. Phillips was dispatched to locate a possible impaired driver reportedly in the area of mile post 155 on Interstate 71. The trooper was struck head-on by another vehicle traveling south in the northbound lanes.
Both vehicles caught fire.
A Good Samaritan stopped to help after the crash and was also hurt. They were also flown to a Columbus hospital, but their condition is not known.
