Police suspect the driver who crashed a car on Interstate 270, killing a woman, was drunk, according to an accident report.
The accident occurred at 2:18 p.m. on January 12 at the Easton Way exit north of Interstate 270. Columbus police said a northbound blue Kia Sorento struck a white Pontiac Vibe parked in the center disabled lane of the exit lane of State Road 161 and Easton Way where it meets Interstate 270.
An accident chart from the Columbus Police Department’s accident report shows what police believe was a fatal crash on Jan. 12 at the Easton Way exit of Interstate 270.
The impact pushed the Pontiac onto its roof, trapping its driver, 44-year-old Lydia Awah of Westerville. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
Columbus police said in an accident report that the Kia was traveling north on I-270 when it “quickly” changed lanes, broke through the mud and collided with the Pontiac.
The driver of the Kia, a 75-year-old Columbus man, “showed signs of impairment,” the accident report said. He was taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center with minor injuries.
Police suspected the man was under the influence of alcohol and obtained a search warrant to test his blood, according to the incident report. The results of that test have not yet been released.
On January 12, 2026, a fatal crash occurred on northbound Interstate 270 at the Easton Way exit, bringing traffic to a standstill.
The driver of the Kia has not been charged.
The crash closed the Easton Way and State Highway 161 exits for several hours while police investigated. They reopened later that evening.
Public safety and breaking news reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared in The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus police suspect alcohol was involved in a fatal crash that killed one person on I-270.
