The man’s identity has not been released. He was described as an adult male, age 25 to 30, wearing a white T-shirt, boxer or gym shorts, and socks.
The two adult females who were trapped inside their car also were taken to a hospital. None of the injuries were life-threatening, Hale said.
Hale said the man was driving a pickup truck eastbound from New Lebanon about 12:30 p.m. when his truck rear-ended a vehicle traveling in the same direction, causing damage. The truck went left of center and passed the vehicle it just struck. It then cut back into traffic and hit a second vehicle traveling in the same direction, causing that car to flip over. The truck proceeded eastbound until it stopped because of mechanical damage.
The truck driver exited the vehicle, but failed to stop when ordered by officers. “They ended up having to Tase him to subdue him,” Hale said.
The reason for the man’s mental state has not been determined, but there was no notable scent of alcohol, Hale said.
The overturned car snapped a utility poll. A Dayton Power and Light crew was called to secure downed power lines, Hale said. U.S. 35 was closed for a time in both directions.
Hale said the two injured women were a grandmother and her adult granddaughter.
Shannon Bemis of New Lebanon arrived at the scene immediately after the crash. She said the granddaughter, who was driving, had crawled out of the vehicle window. The grandmother was still trapped in the passenger seat, she said.
The granddaughter complained about her arm hurting, “but she was conscious, walking around, talking,” Bemis said.
Bemis waited with the grandmother, who also was conscious, until emergency crews arrived to remove her from the vehicle. “I was just trying to make sure that she stayed still and wasn’t moving and injuring anything,” she said.
The driver of the first vehicle struck was not taken to the hospital, Hale said.
The accident is still under investigation.
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