Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol have determined that a Silver 2004 Chevrolet Impala, driven by a 17-year-old male, of Urbana, with an 11-year-old male passenger, also of Urbana, was westbound on TR 63. A green 1995 Buick Roadmaster, driven by Russell, was eastbound, when the Chevrolet Impala went left of center and collided with the Buick Roadmaster in the eastbound lane.
Kevin Crist, who lives nearby, said, "I heard the impact and heard the tires squealing."
Crist said he then tried to help the elderly woman who was trapped in her flipped Oldsmobile. "She wasn't responsive. I tried to get her attention and she wouldn't talk to me at all," Crist said. Russell was pronounced dead at the scene by the Champaign County Coroner.
OSP said the 17-year-old and an 11-year-old were stuck in the wreckage. "The dashboard was pushed up toward the seat, and he couldn't move," Crist said. Both boys were transported by Careflight from the scene.
Troopers are now working on trying to determine what caused the crash. "He had to be going a pretty decent speed to not have been able to slow down in time," Crist said. OSP said speed is one of the factors they are looking into.
This is the third fatal crash to occur in Champaign County in 2011.