Xenia couple killed in U.S. 35 crash involving car, stopped semi

SILVERCREEK TWP., Greene County — A Xenia man and woman were killed in a crash involving a car and semitrailer on eastbound U.S. 35 near Jamestown in Greene County early Friday morning, according to state troopers.

>>PHOTOS: 2 killed after car crashes into stopped semitrailer on EB U.S. 35 in Greene County

Mark Cummings, 64, and his wife Karen Cummings, 65, both of Xenia were identified as those killed in the crash on U.S. 35 near state Route 72 around 5:40 a.m. Friday, state troopers said in a media release Friday afternoon.

Both Mark and Karen were pronounced dead at the scene, state troopers said.

A preliminary investigation found a semitrailer was stopped in the right lane of eastbound U.S. 35. The car, driven by Mark Cummings, crashed into the back of the parked semi, killing both him and Karen.

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State troopers received a call about 10 minutes before the crash notifying them of the stopped semi blocking the right lane, Ohio State Highway Patrol Xenia Post Commander Lt. Robert Hilderbrandt told News Center 7. State troopers are still investigating why the semitrailer was stopped in the lane of travel and the driver was questioned by investigators.

The driver of the semitrailer, later identified as Derrick Everett, 58, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was not injured in the crash.

The crash shut-down the eastbound lanes of U.S. 35 for hours, but reopened around 11:30 a.m., according to the Ohio Department of Transportation and dispatchers for the state highway patrol.

We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.

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