Wood County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Mike Deem, right, speaks to workers at the scene of a crash Wednesday that claimed one life near U.S. 50 and Progress Ridge Road in the Deerwalk area. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG – The Wood County Sheriff’s Department is continuing its investigation into a fatal two-vehicle collision that occurred Wednesday at the intersection of Robert C. Byrd Highway and Progress Ridge Road, according to a post to the Wood County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook page.

Deputies responded to the scene around 12:15 p.m. to find a collision involving a blue Dodge Dakota pickup truck and an eastbound semi-truck.

The driver of the Dodge Dakota, identified as Thomas Johnson of Progress Ridge Road, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, the post said adding a passenger, Jeremiah Johnson, also of Progress Ridge Road, suffered severe injuries.

Emergency crews extracted him from the vehicle before a Life Flight helicopter transported him to Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC), according to the post from the Wood County Sheriff’s Department.

“The initial investigation indicates the Dodge Dakota was attempting to turn onto Robert C. Byrd Highway from Progress Ridge Road when it was struck by the eastbound commercial vehicle,” the post said.

The identity of the semi-truck driver is being withheld at this time pending further investigation.