Richmond, IN – A fatal collision on Interstate 70 near Wayne County on Tuesday morning claimed the life of a Maryland man and caused significant traffic disruptions. The crash, which occurred at approximately 10:17 a.m., involved a brown 2012 Ford F250 pickup and a silver 2017 Dodge Ram 3500 van.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Rachel Ross of Richmond, IN, had slowed her pickup in the westbound passing lane due to construction traffic. Michael Abby, 52, of Marriottsville, MD, driving the van, was unable to stop in time, leading to a collision that forced the van into the median, where it struck a cable barrier. The barrier prevented the van from crossing into eastbound lanes, but the impact caused Abby’s vehicle to veer off the road. Abby was airlifted to Miami Valley Hospital via CareFlight, where he was later pronounced dead. His passenger, Katherine Abby, and Ms. Ross were transported to Reid Hospital with injuries.
Both westbound lanes of I-70 were closed until around 1:00 p.m. as crews worked to clear the scene and facilitate CareFlight’s landing. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to investigate the incident.
