A late-night crash on the southwest side of Franklin County left a woman in critical condition and sent her and the driver to the hospital after their truck struck a utility pole. Two people were hospitalized following the single-vehicle wreck, which happened Saturday night on Lambart Road near Cardinal Drive.
According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling southbound on Lambart Road approaching Cardinal Drive when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The truck left the roadway and struck a utility pole, the sheriff's office said. Franklin County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the scene, along with the Jackson Township Fire Department.
Passenger Critical, Driver Stable
Both the driver and the female passenger were taken to Grant Medical Center following the crash. The sheriff's office reported that the driver was in stable condition, while the female passenger was in critical condition.
Investigators said alcohol was believed to be a factor in the crash, though the sheriff's office noted its investigation was continuing. The exact circumstances that led the truck to leave the roadway have not been fully detailed as deputies work to piece together what happened.
Ohio law prohibits operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and separately sets prohibited alcohol and drug concentration thresholds. In this case, the sheriff’s office has said alcohol is believed to have been a factor while the investigation continues; that statement alone does not establish a violation or a finding of impairment. The state’s OVI statute sets out those offenses and thresholds.
The crash occurred in a county with a substantial history of impaired-driving crashes: the Ohio State Highway Patrol counted 7,971 OVI-related crashes in Franklin County from 2019 through Nov. 18, 2024. The statewide tally included crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs and at least one driver or pedestrian; it was provisional and does not indicate whether alcohol was involved in this Lambart Road crash. OSHP’s tally recorded 72,130 such crashes statewide over the same period.
The sheriff’s office has a dedicated Traffic Bureau that investigates fatal and serious-injury crashes, as well as hit-and-run and department-vehicle crashes. Its responsibilities also include a DUI Taskforce and traffic-enforcement grants, placing crash investigations alongside the office’s broader traffic-safety work. The bureau’s listed duties do not establish which unit is handling this case.
Investigation Continues
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about the crash to come forward. Those with details are asked to contact the FCSO Crash Investigation Unit at 614-525-6113 as the inquiry moves forward.
