(7-6-23) Melvin Norton (74) Celina was killed today when the car he was in hit a ditch on State Route 63 in Monroe and went airborne over the on-ramp from 63 East to I-75 North before crashing onto the interstate.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Hamilton Post said that the crash occurred about 3:20 p.m. in Monroe, Warren County.

Norton was a passenger in a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox LT driven by Mary Jo Hernandez (44) of Cleveland, Tennessee. Norton was taken by ambulance to U.C. West Chester Medical Center, where he passed away to his life-threatening injuries.

The Hernandez vehicle was headed west on 63 when it traveled off the right side of the road before hitting the ditch. After going airborne, the Chevrolet landed off the right side of the roadway in the northbound lanes of I-75 and continued across all of the northbound lanes until it struck the concrete median barrier.

The Chevrolet continued over the barrier and ended up in the southbound lanes of I-75.

Hernandez also suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital. Her condition Thursday night was not known.

The Ohio State Patrol Hamilton Post is continuing its investigation into the crash.