CIRCLEVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A 36-year-old Ashville man faces OVI charges following a two-vehicle collision on U.S. Route 23 Saturday evening that sent one driver to the hospital and left a trail of property damage across local residential yards.
According to a traffic crash report from the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred at approximately 6:18 p.m. on August 29, 2026, on northbound US 23 near the Court Street access, just north of Circleville.
Investigating Deputy Josiah Bever reported that Jeremy Robert Gray, 36, of Ashville, was driving a black 2017 GMC Acadia northbound in the right lane when he rear-ended a black 2009 Toyota Corolla driven by Utasha L. Miller, 52, of Lakeview. Both vehicles were traveling in the right-hand lane when the impact occurred.
The collision triggered a sequence of off-road crashes for both vehicles:
- The Toyota Corolla swerved off the left side of the highway, coming to rest in the median of US 23.
- The GMC Acadia veered off the right side of the roadway, barreled through a boundary fence near 170 Caroline Court, and continued into a neighboring yard at 141 Dunmore Road. The SUV smashed through a second fence before coming to a final stop in the property’s rear fence line.
All individuals involved in the crash sustained suspected minor injuries. Gray was transported by Harrison Township EMS to Berger Hospital for medical evaluation.
During the investigation, deputies cited Gray for Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence (OVI) under local code 4511.19A1A. Law enforcement noted alcohol was suspected as a factor, and chemical test results remain pending.
Miller and a front-seat passenger, Joseph Michael James Fleischmann, 39, of Dublin, both reported minor injuries but were not transported by emergency services.
Sheriff’s deputies noted an unresolved element to the scene: a second passenger inside Miller’s vehicle reportedly fled the crash site while Gray was receiving medical treatment. Authorities were unable to obtain contact information for the unidentified passenger before scene clearance.
Both vehicles suffered disabling damage and required towing. Route 23 remained open with traffic controls as deputies investigated the scene, officially clearing the area after three hours at 9:18 p.m.
