Columbus driver accused of fleeing crash scene

Photo courtesy of Johnson County Sheriff's Department.
Photo courtesy of Johnson County Sheriff’s Department.

Johnson County deputies are looking for a Columbus driver accused of leaving the scene of an accident yesterday at U.S. 31 and State Road 252 that injured two other drivers.

The sheriff’s department reports that the crash happened when an SUV pulled into traffic on U.S. 31 from the state highway garage at Amity and was hit by another vehicle at about 3:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. That led the first driver to then crash into a panel van stopped at the stop sign on State Road 252. The sheriff’s department says that the first driver failed to yield, but the driver of the second car was seen running away from the scene.

Deputies believe that the second driver was, 40-year-old Ronald D. Estes, of Columbus, who has a suspended license for being a habitual traffic violator. Sheriff Doug Cox says they will be seeking a warrant for his arrest. The other two drivers were taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital.