CINCINNATI, OH — A teenager died after a reported shooting and crash on Interstate 71 northbound late Saturday night, and the investigation shut down part of the highway for hours. Cincinnati police said officers were called just before 11 p.m. to the area near the 8.0 mile marker.
Police said a Nissan Altima with three people inside was involved in a crash at the scene. Nineteen-year-old Amarion Waver was pronounced dead there, while two other occupants were taken to UC Medical Center with serious injuries.
Police say one victim had a gunshot wound and another had non-life-threatening injuries
Cincinnati police said the 18-year-old male passenger suffered life-threatening injuries, including a gunshot wound. A second 19-year-old male was listed with non-life-threatening injuries. Both were transported for treatment after the crash and shooting on the northbound lanes.
The Homicide Unit is now handling the case. Police have not said how the shooting started, who fired the shots, or whether the crash happened before or after the gunfire. The circumstances that led to the deadly sequence remain under investigation.
Witnesses say they stopped to help after seeing a car flip near the guardrail
Two men who were driving home from BLINK said they came across the wreck and rushed in to help. Aaron Campero and Michael Unthank later described seeing a car flip over the guardrail as they approached the scene on Interstate 71.
Campero said they called 911 immediately and tried to pull one injured man away from the crash. He said the man was awake, so he dragged him several feet from the vehicle and tried to keep him calm while waiting for help. The men said they did not hear or see gunshots at the time and were surprised to learn a shooting was part of the incident.
Drivers were stuck on the interstate for hours after the late-night scene
The crash and police response created a traffic backup that stretched deep into the night and into early Sunday morning. Drivers reported being stranded on the interstate for several hours while Cincinnati police and Ohio Department of Transportation crews worked the scene.
Video from the area showed some motorists turning around and driving the wrong way to get off the highway. Another video showed Metro riders getting off a bus and walking south on the interstate. De’Jah Gross said she was trapped in the jam until about 3:30 a.m. Sunday.
Traffic stretched for miles before the delay cleared before dawn
OHGO showed the delay growing to several miles between mile markers 8.1 and 6.3 before it finally eased. By 5:05 a.m. Sunday, the traffic delay had been resolved, according to the state traffic map.
By then, the immediate emergency had given way to the long cleanup and investigation process. The scene had drawn police crime unit vehicles and transportation crews, and travelers were left waiting through the early-morning hours to get home.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the homicide unit
Cincinnati police said the shooting remains an active homicide investigation. Detectives are asking anyone with information to call the Homicide Unit at (513) 352-3542.
The case has left family members, witnesses and stranded drivers dealing with the aftermath of a violent incident that unfolded during a busy weekend travel window. Authorities have not released additional details about a suspect or a possible motive.
