Wellston man taken to Huntington hospital after wreck on State Route 93

JACKSON — A Wellston resident was taken via helicopter to a Huntington, West Virginia, hospital after being seriously injured in a wreck Friday on State Route 93.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, troopers responded to a two vehicle, serious injury crash at 11 p.m. Friday on State Route 93, near milepost 9 in Franklin Township, Jackson County.

Donald Riffle, 52, of Wellston, was operating a 2016 Peterbilt rollback tow truck. Riffle was stopped in the southbound lane of State Route 93 as he provided recovery assistance for a disabled motorist.

Daniel Baker Jr., 20, of Jackson, was operating a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado, traveling southbound on State Route 93. As Riffle was outside of his tow truck securing the disabled vehicle for transport, he and the tow truck were struck by Baker’s vehicle. The pickup truck overturned several times before traveling off the left side of the road and striking a guardrail and traffic sign.

Riffle sustained serious injury and was flown by Air Evac to the Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia.

Baker sustained minor injury and was treated on scene by Jackson County Emergency Medical Services. State Route 93 was closed for approximately two hours for crash investigation and clean-up.

Agencies assisting include the Jackson County Sheriff Office, Jackson County EMS, Jackson Fire Department, Air Evac, Madison-Jefferson Fire Department, and Dale’s Towing.

The crash remains under investigation.