A Tuesday morning drive ended in tragedy when a head-on collision involving an Ohio Department of Transportation truck claimed the life of a 1-year-old child and left 20-year-old Madison Grimmett seriously injured in Morgan County, Ohio. The crash happened around 8:25 a.m. on November 10, 2026, along State Route 37 in Malta Township.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Marietta Post, the collision involved an ODOT Ford F-150 traveling westbound and a Chevrolet Equinox heading eastbound. Investigators said the truck, driven by 46-year-old Christopher Gorrell of McConnelsville, crossed the center line and struck the approaching Chevrolet head-on.
Grimmett, who lives in Crooksville, was behind the wheel of the Equinox when the vehicles collided. Her 1-year-old passenger was also inside the vehicle. The force of the crash proved fatal for the young child, who was pronounced dead following the collision.
Grimmett suffered serious injuries and was taken to Genesis Hospital in Zanesville for medical treatment. Gorrell also sustained injuries, although authorities described his condition as non-life-threatening. He was transported to Marietta Memorial Hospital.
The crash happened in the 4600 block of State Route 37, near Cordray Road. Emergency crews and law enforcement officers responded to the scene as authorities began investigating what led to the two vehicles colliding.
Several agencies assisted the Ohio State Highway Patrol, including the Ohio Department of Transportation, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Muskingum County Coroner, Morgan County Prosecutor and the Malta and McConnelsville Fire Department EMS Division.
Authorities have not released the identity of the child who died. They also have not announced what caused the ODOT truck to cross into the opposite lane. The investigation remains ongoing.
For the family of the little child, the loss is one that cannot be measured in words. What began as an ordinary morning ended with a family facing a devastating loss, while Madison Grimmett and Christopher Gorrell were left needing medical care.