Three people were taken to the hospital after a multi-vehicle crash on I-75 south that closed the highway for hours. The crash happened after 1 a.m. Friday morning in the southbound lanes, near St. Bernard and the Norwood Lateral. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said it responded after St. Bernard police called for assistance at 2:30 a.m. The sheriff's office said a 27-year-old driver rear-ended a construction vehicle. After that, a second vehicle driven by a 40-year-old rear-ended the car driven by the 27-year-old, HCSO said. The 27-year-old also had a passenger in the vehicle, the sheriff's office said. All three were taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center; the 27-year-old is in surgery, the sheriff's office said. The other two involved in the crash sustained injuries the sheriff's office called "non-life-threatening." The sheriff's office said alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, and charges are pending. The highway didn't reopen until 6:05 a.m.