A two-vehicle traffic accident occurring on Friday as a result of winter weather caused serious bodily injury to one driver.
On Jan. 10, just after 3 p.m., the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and Lebanon Police Department were reportedly dispatched to a 2-vehicle traffic accident involving an SUV and a minivan in the 5200 block of West State Road 32 in Boone County.
According to reports, the SUV was traveling east on State Road 32 while the minivan was traveling west. The SUV driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, crossing the center line where the two vehicles collided and the SUV’s occupant was ejected from the vehicle.
Upon arrival, first responders located a red 1996 Jeep Cherokee in the roadway on its side, and the occupant of the vehicle, identified as Johannes Ryff, 64, of Lebanon, was lying on the roadway next to the vehicle. The 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan, which was occupied by Birtram Hampton, 49, of Indianapolis, was found in the ditch off the roadway with significant front-end damage.
Ryff reportedly sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Hampton was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The Boone County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team was requested to investigate the accident, which is currently still under investigation.
