Three injured in head-on collision

Three people were injured Friday evening in a two-vehicle head-on collision on U.S. 50 West. At least two of the victims sustained serious injuries and were transported on to a trauma center. An occupant of one of the vehicles allegedly fled the scene, and was later found by firefighters with the use of thermal imaging cameras. 

According to Capt. Jeff Martin of Hillsboro Fire and Rescue, the station was dispatched at 7:03 p.m. to the area of 6066 U.S. 50 West, where a Ford F-150 and a Chevy S-10 had collided. When crews arrived on scene, a female was found outside one of the vehicles, and another victim was trapped inside. A third person had fled the scene, he said. 

"We had two who were seriously injured," Martin said. 

Three separate emergency medical helicopters were contacted, but due to the weather Friday evening, none felt it was safe to fly. 

"We had to call for a mobile intensive care unit," Martin said. "They were transported to HDH (Highland District Hospital) and then on to a trauma center."

It took crews approximately 35 minutes to cut the victim from the vehicle with the Jaws of Life. 

Firefighters also responded from the Lynchburg Area Joint Fire and Ambulance District.

"Lynchburg provided manpower for the manhunt,"  Martin said. "We brought our thermal imaging cameras. We knew we had a patient down, and the more manpower the better to scope out the fields to come up with the injured person."

Martin said the missing person was found in a field "in a concrete structure." 

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, but further information was not immediately available. 

Firefighters cleared the scene at approximately 9 p.m.