Bus among vehicles involved in trio of crashes

CHILLICOTHE – The Ohio Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate a trio of crashes – one of which involved a school bus – that took place across the local area Friday.

The bus belongs to the Vern Riffe Vocational School in Piketon. According to the patrol, the bus driven by Robert Knipp, 43, of Ironton, was northbound on Scherer Hollow Road near Pleasant Avenue around 3:30 p.m. when it went off the right side of the road while going around a slight left-hand curve and struck a guardrail.

The bus was loaded with students, but there was only one minor injury reported. One student was transported by Portsmouth Ambulance to Southern Ohio Medical Center for treatment.

In a second crash Friday, Malcolm R. Montgomery, 63, of Lucasville, was southbound on Lapperell Road near Muddy Fork Road in a 1997 Ford Ranger at 3:54 p.m. when he went off the right side of the road and struck a tree. He was transported to Greenfield Adena Medical Center and later flown by MedFlight to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, where his condition is unknown at this time.

Montgomery was charged with failure to control and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, according to the patrol.

The third crash took place on Grassy Fork Road in Pike County. The patrol states that Joshua Hicks, 28, of West Union, was traveling in a 2000 Chrysler Town and Country when he went left of center and struck a 1995 Chevrolet S-10 driven by David Humphrey, 54, of Peebles.

Hicks was treated for his injuries at Adena Pike Medical Center and Humphrey was treated at the scene. Lucinda Hicks, 27, of West Union, who was a passenger in Hicks’ vehicle, was also treated at the scene.

Ryan Humphrey, 15, of Peebles, who was a passenger in Humphrey’s vehicle, was flown by Air Evac to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, where his condition is unknown at this time.