Two people were killed Wednesday in a head-on crash on U.S. 23 in Scioto Township, Ross County, after a wrong-way driver slammed into an oncoming vehicle just before 12:30 p.m. Troopers shut down the stretch of highway as emergency crews worked the scene, and both drivers were pronounced dead at the site while investigators remained there into the afternoon. Officials have released few additional details so far.
According to WBNS, a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado that was traveling the wrong way in the southeast lanes struck a 2008 Chevrolet Uplander head-on. The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the Silverado driver as Dave Boggs, 76, of Waverly, and the Uplander driver as Jason Day, 39, of Chillicothe. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene as troopers from the Chillicothe Post led the response while crews cleared the wreckage.
Wrong-way crashes are relatively rare but often deadly. An analysis by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that fatal wrong-way crashes on divided highways resulted in thousands of deaths between 2010 and 2018, with alcohol and older drivers appearing frequently as factors in those collisions.
Investigation Underway
The Ohio State Highway Patrol told WBNS that the crash remains under investigation as troopers work to determine what contributed to the wrong-way impact. Authorities did not immediately say whether impairment, speed, or roadway conditions played any role.
Road And Local Context
U.S. 23 is a busy north-south corridor through southern Ohio and has been the site of crash-related closures in the past; a closure on the same route last year highlighted how quickly incidents there can disrupt traffic. Serious crashes on the highway often require coordinated responses from state troopers and local EMS.
The crash remains under investigation, and officials say they will release more information as it becomes available. We will update this story with new details as they are released.
