A man accused of being under the influence and causing a wrong-way crash on Interstate 75 in Dayton on Saturday had an open court case for public intoxication and was cited in 2016 for driving the wrong-way on a one-way street, according to court records.
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Glenn Ellis, 47, of Dayton, was suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he drove north in the southbound lanes on I-75 on Saturday morning, according to the record.
Ellis crashed head-on into a car driven by Anthony Revels, 59, of Dayton, near the Ohio 4 exit, according to a police report. Revels and his passenger were injured, but were treated and released from Miami Valley Hospital, the report said.
On Monday, Ellis was charged with OVI, failure to control a motor vehicle, failure to wear a seat belt, and driving on the wrong-side of a divided roadway, according to online court records.
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Court records obtained by this news outlet indicate Ellis was cited for public intoxication on in the 400 block East Second Street in Dayton on Oct. 7, 2017.
“[Ellis] was subject of person down call,” according to the Dayton police citation. “He was highly intoxicated, [and] passed out in the rain.”
The case is still listed as open, according to court records.
Ellis was also cited for driving without a driver’s license and driving the wrong-way on a one-way street on Monument Avenue at North St. Clair Street in Dayton on Feb. 5, 2016.
That citation states that Ellis was traveling on Monument Avenue and turned onto North St. Clair Street and didn’t realize North St. Clair was a one-way street.
Court records indicate the charges were dismissed and Ellis was ordered to pay court costs.
“There’s a car coming the wrong way!”
On Monday, Anthony Revels of Dayton was at a tow lot retrieving personal belongings and removing the tags from his totaled Prius.
Revels, 59, said he got on the I-75 going south at Wagner Ford Road.
“All of a sudden I looked up and saw a car passing other cars, literally coming at me,” he said
He told his passenger, Michael Jackson: “There’s a car coming in the wrong way! Wrong way!”
Revels started taking his car right. The other car was still swerving in his direction, he said.
“We’re going to get hit,” he shouted to Jackson right before impact.
As the cars came to a stop, Revels and Jackson checked on each other’s injuries.
Neither was seriously hurt. Both were wearing their seat belts and all six of the car’s airbags deployed, Revels said.
At the hospital, Revels spoke with a police officer.
“He seemed really shocked at the outcome of our accident – a head-on collision and we only had minor injuries,” Revels said.
Revels said his chest has been sore since the accident in which he also banged up his right hand. He said his passenger also suffered minor injuries to an arm, leg and ribs.
“I went right. I just turned right,” he said. “That’s all you can do.”
Revels said God protected them during the crash.
“After going through this and looking at the car, I believe it,” he said.
Attempts to reach Ellis Monday were unsuccessful.
ODOT video captures crash
An Ohio Department of Transportation camera, positioned at the I- 75 and Ohio 4 interchange, captured the crash.
The camera, which was zoomed out, captures the moment a northbound vehicle slams into a southbound vehicle on the highway.
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