COLUMBUS, Ohio – An overnight accident left a Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy injured and shut down a key freeway interchange for part of the morning rush-hour.
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Deputy Ryan Murphy was injured when his cruiser was struck from behind by a delivery truck on the exit ramp from I-71 northbound to I-270 in Franklin Township at approximately 2:00 Wednesday morning, Sheriff Zach Scott said.
Murphy was seated in his cruiser on the shoulder processing an earlier alcohol related crash scene when a northbound Flora Rosa, Ltd., delivery truck driven by Dered Hyndman, 57, of Ontario, struck the barrier separating the northbound lanes of I-71 and the ramps to I-270, lost control and ran into Murphy’s cruiser, forcing it into a roll back tow truck in front of it, which was operated by Jason Stone, 39, Scott said.
Murphy needed to be extricated by firefighters but none of the injuries sustained in the accident were serious and Scott says Murphy was released from the hospital.
The ramps from I-71 to I-270 were shut down for several hours during the investigation of the crash.
Neither drugs nor alcohol appeared to be a factor and the crash remains under investigation, Scott said.