Teen girl ‘nearly impaled’ by piece of metal; family of 6 rescued by state patrol

A family of six from Georgia managed to escape tragedy with the help of Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Dallas Root during Monday night’s tornadoes.

The family was traveling on Interstate 75 near Wagner Ford Road in Harrison Twp. when a piece of metal from a nearby building impaled their minivan, barely missing a 13-year-old girl in the backseat.

Root said he was starting his route with the Dayton Post in Englewood within minutes of a tornado coming through the Wagner Ford area.

As he was observing the destruction from the storms, he noticed the family’s minivan.

They had since gotten out and were waiting in a good Samaritan’s car.

The family had minor injuries and troopers tried to call medics, but with all the tornado damage, no one could come.

Root had two of his troopers take the family to Grandview Medical Center in Dayton.

The sergeant said he has kept in touch with the family, who is now safely back in Georgia.

News Center 7 is working to contact the family.