Crime

Driver, 21, Who Allegedly Killed Family In Wrong-Way Crash Had Beer Leaking From Mouth: Police

Timmy and Karen Thompson and 10-year-old daughter Tessa were killed in tragic crash

Published on March 22, 2019 12:14 PM

Ohio police are investigating a fatal wrong-way crash that killed a couple and their 10-year-old daughter, PEOPLE confirms.

The fatal crash, which is being investigated as vehicular manslaughter, occurred just after 8 p.m. Sunday in the southbound lanes of I-75 near Dayton.

Police said 21-year-old Abby Michaels was driving northbound in the southbound lanes when her white Kia Forte crashed head-on into a black Toyota Camry occupied by 51-year-old Timmy Thompson, Karen Thompson, 50, and their 10-year-old daughter Tessa, according to the Dayton Daily News.

Father and daughter died at the scene. Karen Thompson was transported to Kettering Memorial Hospital where she also died.

Michaels was taken by medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital and is listed in critical but stable condition, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

“At this time, we do believe alcohol was a factor,” Sgt. Andrew Parish of the Moraine Police Department told WLWT. “To what extent, we’re not sure yet, but we are investigating that.”

According to a police report obtained by PEOPLE, Michaels was allegedly “wearing a festive St. Patrick’s Day shirt, multiple green, plastic shamrock necklaces and she had a temporary tattoo on her right cheek of an apparent beer mug.”

The report said Michaels allegedly had a “frothy liquid coming from her mouth.”

“Using my flashlight, I could see the medics attempting to get an airway started,” the report states. “I noticed they were having difficulty due to a frothy liquid coming from her mouth. The medics identified the fluid/froth as beer.”

The officer at the scene said he searched Michaels’ vehicle and in her purse found a large cup with a Fireball whiskey logo.

“I noticed that the cup had a small amount of an unknown dark liquid in the bottom,” according to the report.

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One witness told police he was driving northbound on 1-75 when a white sedan passed him in the left lane and then pulled into the U-turn area of the median.

“[The witness] stated the car then pulled into the middle of oncoming traffic and within 10-15 seconds hit another car head on,” the report states.

Another witness said she saw “a white car cross the median and begin traveling northbound in the southbound. She said the car didn’t appear to be slowing down.”

Neighbor Terri Holt told WCPO that the couple and their daughter were “a beautiful family.”