A newly released crash report is putting responsibility on the driver in a Jan. 6 collision on Beckett Road that left a Liberty Township woman dead and a teenage passenger seriously injured. Investigators say the car crossed the center line and hit a West Chester Township ambulance that had just returned from a patient drop-off. The findings point to driver error rather than any issue with the ambulance crew and have renewed questions about visibility and seat belt use along that stretch of road.
Report: Car Crossed Center Line, Rolled Multiple Times
According to WKRC Local 12, the crash report states the car crossed the center line, tried to swerve back and then struck the ambulance. Witnesses told investigators the vehicle rolled three or four times. The report says neither the driver nor the teenage passenger were wearing seat belts and both were ejected from the car. Local 12 also reports the teen was first taken to UC Health West Chester Hospital and later flown to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for more advanced care.
Victim Identified, Ambulance Crew Unharmed
The Butler County Coroner identified the driver as Ernestina P. Obeng, 43, of Liberty Township, according to Journal-News. Officials told WCPO the ambulance had just dropped off a patient and was not on an emergency run when the collision occurred. The two crew members were not injured, while the vehicle’s occupants were treated at UC Health West Chester. The crash remains under investigation and no criminal charges have been announced.
Investigators: Headlights Off, Phone Use Undetermined
Investigators told Local 12 they do not believe Obeng was speeding or impaired, but the vehicle’s headlights were off at the time of impact. Officers could not determine whether she had been using her phone. Those details come from the formal crash report released this week and shift attention toward road conditions and driver visibility along Beckett Road. West Chester’s Traffic Safety Unit continues to review the file.
Seat Belts And Survivability
The report’s finding that both people in the car were unrestrained and ejected underscores the life-saving role of seat belts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that lap-and-shoulder belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat car occupants by about 45%, and NHTSA data shows nearly half of passenger-vehicle occupants killed in 2023 were unrestrained. It is sobering context that has renewed focus on buckling up, even for short, familiar drives.
Earlier Coverage And Next Steps…