Update on Crash as of 9AM from the Butler County Sheriffs Office:
Sheriff Richard K. Jones reports on July 26, 2022, at approximately 0408 hours, Butler County Sheriff's Deputies and EMS personnel responded to a fatal crash at the intersection of US 127 and Eaton Rd. Unit #1, a blue 1998 Chevrolet Silverado, was traveling eastbound on Eaton Rd. and proceeded into the intersection into the path of Unit #2, a gray 2013 GMC Sierra, who was traveling northbound on US 127. A rear passenger in Unit #1, a 69-year-old female from Richmond, Indiana, was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. A front passenger in Unit #1,a 43-year-old female, was mechanically extricated from the vehicle and transported to the hospital with serious injuries. The other two occupants of Unit #1 suffered minor injuries and were also transported to the hospital. The driver of Unit #2 was the only occupant of the vehicle and was not injured. CareFlight responded to transport the seriously injured female passenger. At approximately 0458 hours, the helicopter crashed while attempting to land at the scene. All three crew members were transported to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. The Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team (START) is processing both crashes and will be working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in regards to the helicopter crash. The scene is still active and the roadway will be closed for the next several hours. Identification of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of the family.
UPDATE as of 8AM July 26th
Statement from Premier Health:
“Early this morning, a CareFlight helicopter operated by Air Methods Corp. responding to a vehicle accident in Butler County contacted wires and experienced a hard landing. The patient was not on board the aircraft, and the three crew were able to safely exit the aircraft.
The crew has been taken to a hospital for a medical evaluation. Air Methods has contacted the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration, and will be working through the investigation process with these agencies.
The safety of patients and crew is of the utmost importance to us. We are grateful that no one was seriously injured in this incident.”
(Milford Twp, Butler County) 6AM July 26, 2022
US 127 remains blocked this morning at Eaton Road, after a deadly crash involving two pick up trucks. Then, as the Careflight helicopter was responding to the scene it got tangled in utility wires and crashed. Video from the scene of the chopper crash, shows heavy damage to the helicopter.
We are told that one firefighter on the ground has been injured in the crash and all three of the crew members from the helicotper have been taken to the hospital.
Power is also out in the area to more than 800 customers of Duke Energy who live just north of Oxford.