Fiery Collision Leaves Ohio Trooper and Wrong-Way Driver Critically Injured

An Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) trooper and a driver who was traveling the wrong way on Interstate 71 near Mount Gilead were critically injured when their vehicles collided and caught fire in the early hours on June 27, OSHP said.

A third person was injured when they stopped to provide assistance moments after the crash, according to OSHP.

Trooper Jason Phillips and the person who helped were taken to OSU Medical Center in Columbus, while the wrong-way driver, named as Michael Marchak Jr, was taken to OhioHealth-MedCentral hospital in Mansfield.

OSHP said Phillips has been dispatched to investigate reports of a possibly impaired driver, who was later identified as Marchak. Credit: Ohio State Highway Patrol via Storyful