NEAVE TOWNSHIP – A Monday morning crash resulted in a driver being flown to Miami Valley Hospital with non-life threatening injuries after the vehicle they were operating sustained heavy damage from a rear-end collision.
At approximately 7:39 a.m., emergency personnel from the New Madison Fire Department and Tri-Village Rescue responded along with deputies from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office and CareFlight to the intersection of State Route 121 and Hogpath Road to a reported injury crash.
According to the Darke County Sheriff’s Department, a preliminary investigation into the incident revealed a red 2000 Chevrolet Metro, driven by Thomas Purdy, 62, of Palestine, was traveling southbound on State Route 121 when the driver slowed to a make a left-hand turn eastbound onto Hogpath Road. A black 1999 Ford F350, driven by Mervin Hilty, 70, of New Madison, hauling a utility trailer, was also southbound on State Route 121. Hilty failed to notice the slowed traffic and did not stop in time before colliding into the rear of the Chevrolet causing the vehicle to travel off the right side of the roadway into the front lawn of a private residence located at 4484 State Route 121.
Purdy was treated on the scene by Tri-Village Rescue for non-life threatening injuries prior to being flown by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital, where his condition remains unknown. Hilty was evaluated by EMS on the scene before refusing further treatment and transport to a medical facility.
The incident will remain under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff’s Department.
