Drugs, alcohol suspected in crash that kills 18-year-old driver
OXFORD TOWNSHIP (WJER) (Aug. 22, 2025) – The State Highway Patrol New Philadelphia Post says a series of crashes on I-77 Thursday afternoon killed an 18-year-old driver.
The post has identified the driver who died as Ava Stamets of Mineral City.
The crashes took place just south of the Newcomerstown exit just before 2:15 p.m.
Troopers say Stamets’ northbound SUV crossed over the median and struck a southbound pickup truck, causing that truck to overturn.
Stamets’ SUV then spun into another southbound pickup truck. Both of those vehicles went off the road and struck a guardrail.
Stamets was pronounced dead at the scene.
Both pickup truck drivers and four passengers in the second pickup truck were taken to a Cambridge hospital for minor injuries.
The patrol says the crash is still under investigation, but that drugs and alcohol are believed to be factors.