AKRON, Ohio — A crash that knocked down several utility poles and closed a section of a major road in Akron led police to a 2-year-old girl who apparently was left home in Barberton.
Police believe the 23-year-old woman who caused the crash around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday was drunk.
"It's being investigated in that manner as an OVI or alcohol-related crash," said Lt. Michael Miller.
The incident happened in the 2700 block of Romig Road.
According to witnesses, the driver crashed into two telephone poles, knocking them down, and also took out a street sign and a stop sign.
The chaos happened right in front of Steve Walter's home.
"I heard a big, loud crash from this side and then another crash," Walters said. "It was crazy. She went through that telephone pole like it was a toothpick."
According to police, the driver of an Amazon semi-truck, which was traveling the other way, got caught in the middle and dragged down more wires and poles.
"The weight of this line dropped the weight of that line. He decided he could squeeze under there. He didn't make it," Walters recalled.
Body camera video provided to News 5 shows an officer was reluctant to make movements on the roadway, unsure if any of the wires were live.
"It looks like AFD (Akron Fire Department) is with the victim because I can't get to them with the wires. I don't know their condition," the officer told dispatch.
On Thursday, repair crews told News 5 that communication lines had crashed to the ground, but not electrical wires.
After striking the poles, the driver of the car crashed through a fence in a neighbor's yard. Witnesses were able to get a 1-year-old child out of the wreckage. The mother, who was entrapped, was pulled out by rescue crews. They were both taken to hospitals with minor injuries," police said.
The frightening incident took another turn when Akron police received information at the scene that the mother also had a 2-year-old child who was home alone at an apartment in Barberton.
Police responded to the apartment on Iowa Place and confirmed the child was, in fact, alone.
"She was by herself when officers got there. We don't really know how long she was actually left in the apartment," said Officer Marty Eberhart.
Eberhart said the discovery was very troubling, and the mom will be charged with child endangering.
"A 2-year-old cannot do anything for themselves, so there are so many things that can happen that are dangerous to a 2-year-old just being there because they can't fend for themselves," he said.
Miller said the investigation surrounding the crash continues, and he expects charges related to the suspected drunk driving will also be filed.
Investigators from both departments said they're grateful the situations didn't end tragically after a series of bad choices.
"Something I've always said is that you should have a license to be a parent, Eberhart said. "If you're going out making a bad decision, you're putting that child in danger, and it's just not good parenting."
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