PERKINS TWP, OH (WTOL) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating an injury accident after a hay ride overturned in Erie County.
The accident happened around 10:37 p.m. on Patten-Tract Rd, a mile south of Bogart Rd, in Perkins Township
Police say Michael Hermes, 47, of Sandusky, Ohio was driving a tractor pulling 2 caged hay trailer southbound on Patten-Tract Rd. That is when the tractor went off the right side of the road causing the back trailer to overturn. Some passengers were ejected from the trailer.
Investigators confirm that 28 people were injured in the crash. Injured passengers were taken by ambulance to Firelands Hospital in Sandusky, Bellevue Hospital in Bellevue, and to Fisher Titus Hospital in Norwalk. Two injured passengers, Ruben Cruz Jr. and Raynoldo Cruz, both of Castalia, Ohio were Life Flighted to Mercy St. V's in Toledo.
Hermes was not injured in the crash.
State Troopers arrested Hermes for "Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol," after he refused to take a field sobriety tests. A warrant had to be issued to draw blood to determine Hermes' alcohol level. Hermes was charged with "Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated", "Aggravated Vehicular Assault", "Open Container", and "Failure to Control".
Hermes is in Erie County Jail and is scheduled to appear in Sandusky Municipal Court on Tuesday.
The farm tractor and the hay trailers sustained minor damage.
The crash is currently still under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
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