Holiday travel collision in Ohio kills 4

A minivan headed the wrong way on I-75 near Franklin, Ohio, crashed head-on into another minivan early Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. Three adults and one child were killed. / WKRC

CINCINNATI Police say a minivan carrying a family leaving a Christmas party went the wrong way on a southwestern Ohio highway and hit another minivan whose driver and family were going to see grandparents for the holidays.

Three adults and a 7-year-old child were killed, said Ohio State Patrol Sgt. Stan Jordan. Two other children were critically injured.

Joshua Nkansah, 40, of Fairfield was driving his minivan southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 near Franklin when he struck another minivan head-on about 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning. He and his 7-year-old son, David, died at the scene.

Another child in the car was taken to Atrium Hospital, then flown to Children's Hospital with life-threatening injuries, reports CBS Affiliate WKRC.

The minivan Nkansah struck was driven by Michele Barhorst from Madisonville, Tenn., who also died at the scene. Her husband, Scott Barhorst, was flown to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he later died.

The Barhorsts also had four of their children - ages 8, 9, 11 and 18 - in the minivan with them. They were taken to Dayton Children's Hospital and Atrium Hospital.

The crash is still under investigation, though alcohol was a suspected factor. Sgt. Jordan said investigators smelled liquor in the minivan that was going the wrong way and found a bottle of alcohol in the vehicle.

[moejoe3]

If we ban minivans and children, this could never happen again.

[disinterested-3rd-party]

I know how to stop this!!!! Ban cars, and ban alcohol. I mean, when we ban guns, the shooting will stop, right?? Surely it will work for DUI as well?

[LosAngelesCA]

Killing someone while DUI is murder. It's time we prosecuted.

[OnTheCrown]

slouise217 replies:
Are you always this much of a jerk? Obama didn't call for banning any existing guns. He suggested that we regulate stuff, just like we regulate vehicles currently.
==============================================

Clearly the solution to "regulate vehicles currently" still brought tragedy to these two families. What makes you think regulating guns further will obviate similar Sandy Hook tragedies?

[j_mcdonald-2009]

Common sense and statistics.

[slouise217]

Again, a jerk speaks! We can't prevent ALL tragedies. We can regulate guns more and prevent some tragedies. We can limit large clips and stop some people from killing so many when they get the urge. We can do a better job of keeping guns out of the hands of those who shouldn't have them. We can ban certain guns that aren't used for much besides war and/or killing people.

We can't stop all violence. We don't live in a "Minority Report" world.

But just because we can't stop ALL violence is NO REASON TO NOT TRY TO STOP SOME of the VIOLENCE. I swear, this ain't rocket science, yet your OWN prejudices blind you to this fact!!! And, again, this is YOUR shortcoming, not mine.

[aviatrixx]

Manhatan has an excellent solution for drunk drivers.... Don't bother taking away their license; that is just a piece of plastic. Take away their vehicle!!

[john92021]

they did that here until the courts overturned that. Not all drunk drivers are poor, some can just buy another vehicle. The fines for 1st time offenders here is $10,000 plus all the other costs. Does not stop some from getting caught 3 or 4 times. And if it is a rental, friends car or mortgaged to the hilt that is not fair to others. Jail time seems to work better, especially where a death is involved but none of that really stops one of these fools.

[davycoolguy]

SLOUISE I could not agree with you more. I like to drink and to be honest if there were no laws , I would probably drink and drive. Since I do not want to risk it, of course I would get a hotel room, or someone as a designated driver or a cab. My point is that as tragic as drinking driving accidents are that kill people it would be worse, if there were no laws or auto regulation. I see your point very clearly and agree about gun laws and mental tests and regulations for guns etc. Many people are just black and white with no grey and can not understand that accidents or death or whatever would still happen but with less regularity and thus saving lives. Also these people hate Obama and use any excuse to rail against the man.

[DesertMoonSong]

One solution is to put those one-way spikes on all off-ramps so no idiot can drive onto it from the the wrong direction. And have cables in the median to prevent anyone from making a turn onto the wrong direction. Cops could use them with a special code to get through a gate. The cost doesn't matter if it will save a life.

[makemyday2da]

desertmoon - actually the drunken driver made an illegal turn on the highway to end up going in the wrong direction. Your suggestions wouldn't have worked in this instance, unfortunately.

[jowr61]

For all of you who suggest banning vehicles, too bad they can't ban stupidity. Then we wouldn't have to hear from you.

[john92021]

banning stupidity would work too. This all zoomed over your head by a couple of feet.

[centralcacoast]

Good point. What can we really do about it? Take away their license, they'll drive without one. Install a breathalizer on the ignition? They'll have their 7 year old blow into it. There must be a way to keep drunks from driving. All of these brilliant minds can't come up with a solution?

[slouise217]

We already do lots of things. Installing devices in cars to require someone to blow into it to prove they're not drunk DOES work. Is it a perfect solution? Nope, but it does diminish the threat. Taking away someone's license DOES work. Perfectly? Nope, but it does work. Societal pressure to stop hosts from allowing drunks to get smashed, and then drive, that helps too. Putting up signs that tell people they're fixing to drive the wrong way down a highway exit ramp helps.

There isn't a way to stop all stupidity and criminal behavior. There never will be. "Brilliant minds" know this. That's why brilliant minds don't endeavor to eliminate that behavior - only limit it as much as we can.

[pleaseletitbeso]

This is horrible, feel so ad for those children that have lost their parents.

Must be time for stricter regulations regarding owning and operating motor vehicles.

I'm for an outright ban on the future manufacture and sales of all motor vehicles

[byteme368]

wow, im surprised you can shift gears like that. Trying to be sympathetic then sarcastic in one paragraph. utterly disgusting. There are strict penalties against drunk drivers however, but im sure you would be against that, right? maybe you could ***** about that a litte.