Children still in hospital after wrong-way fatal in Warren Arkansas

Four of five children involved in a head-on collision on Interstate 75 early Sunday that killed four other people and left one young man injured remained in area hospitals Monday night.
Joshua Nkansah, 40, of Fairfield was traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-75 near the Manchester Road overpass, near Middletown, when his 1997 Dodge minivan collided with an oncoming 2000 Chrysler minivan, according to Ohio Highway Patrol Lt. Matt Hamilton.

The van heading north was driven by Michelle Barhorst of Madisonville, Tenn. Among its passengers were her husband, Scott, and their four children.

Michelle Barhorst, Nkansah and Nkansah’s 7-year-old son David died at the scene. Scott Barhorst, 37, was flown to University Medical Center in Cincinnati where he died from his injuries.

Another of Nkansah’s sons, 4-year-old son Darius, was taken to the Liberty Twp. campus of Children’s Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, suffering from life-threatening injuries. On Monday night troopers said he was still listed in critical condition.

Monday night, Tori and Logan Barhorst, 8 and 11, were in fair condition at Children’s Medical Center of Dayton.Haley Barhorst, 9, remained in critical condition at Children’s of Dayton.

Tyler Barhorst, 18, was taken to Atrium Hospital and has since been released.The Barhorsts were on their way to St. Marys, Ohio, to visit family for Christmas.James Gilchrist of Little Rock, Ark., was behind one of the vans. He said he and his family were only seven miles from their destination.

“It’s scary,” Gilchrist said. “You’re close to something really terrible, and you are thankful that everybody in your car is safe. And you are praying that the people in the other car are OK.”
Gilchrist had children in the car with him, and said he is grateful for every day that he is with them.

“Life is a precious thing” he said. “This is a real tragedy.”The accident remains under investigation. According to OSP, it appears Nkansah was going north on I-75, made a U-turn on the highway near Franklin, and then started going south in the wrong lanes. Alcohol appeared to be a factor in the accident.