Thursday, January 18th, 2007

Cause of driver's swerve unknown

By Margie Wuebker
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate a Wednesday morning accident that claimed the life of a local social worker and seriously injured a veterans services driver.
Melissa "Missie" Kogge, 35, 260 S. Garfield St., Minster, was pronounced dead at the scene by Mercer County Coroner Dr. Timothy Heinricks.
The accident occurred at 8:10 a.m. along U.S. 127 near Johnston Road, when a southbound van driven by Karl W. Duff, 67, 217 S. Main St., Mendon, veered left of center and struck the northbound 2000 Chrysler minivan driven by Kogge.
Duff, a driver for Mercer County Veterans Services, was en route to pick up an area veteran for a medical appointment at the time of the accident.
"At this point we do not know what caused Mr. Duff to swerve left of center," Sheriff Jeff Grey said. "Alcohol or drugs were not a factor in the accident."
Amanda K. Gross, 30, 1926 Heritage Court, St. Marys, was following the full-size 2004 Ford van, owned by the Mercer County Commissioners when it suddenly drifted left of center striking the Kogge minivan.
The smaller vehicle spun before coming to rest with the rear portion on the east guardrail. Duff's vehicle veered across the southbound lane and came to rest against the west guardrail.
Gross attempted to avoid the collision but her Honda Pilot was struck by the full-size van. It came to rest after striking the west guardrail.
Firefighters and emergency medical services units from Celina and Coldwater responded to the scene and worked quickly to extricate Kogge and Duff from the wreckage.
Duff was taken by ambulance to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater and later transferred by CareFlight helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, where he remains in fair condition.
Kogge, the mother of four young children, was en route to work at Foundations Behavioral Health Services in Celina, where she was a therapist and case management supervisor. A co-worker associated with the Tri County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services witnessed the accident, according to Foundations Executive Director Brian Engle.
"Missie will be missed greatly by all of us ... for her professionalism, her energy, her humor and her genuine caring for staff and clients," Engle told The Daily Standard. "Our organization has lost a competent co-worker and dear friend, and the community has lost a caring professional counselor."
Kogge joined the agency in 1994 as a case manager after graduating from Bowling Green State University and was later promoted to counselor. She went on to earn a master's degree in social work from Ohio State University and was a licensed independent social worker, which Engle described as the highest level of social worker.
Foundations closed Wednesday to allow the 30-member staff to deal with the tragedy. All calls to the agency were diverted to Westwood Behavioral Health Services in Van Wert. The agency, located at 4761 state Route 29, Celina, reopened today.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Hogenkamp Funeral Home in Minster.
Kogge's death marks the first traffic fatality in the county for 2007.
Additional online stories on this date
WAPAKONETA - Two Celina men were sentenced in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court recently following a drug bust earlier this year in the Grand Lake area. [More]
ST. HENRY - St. Henry Middle School has been recognized as an Ohio School To Watch (OSTW) - a designation bestowed on only three other schools in the state. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
RSV gentle - so far - on local children
A dangerous virus causing a record number of sick children in the Dayton area has kept a low-profile locally, at least so far.
Cases of respiratory
WAPAKONETA - Lima attorney William Kluge has signed on to defend a New Bremen man accused of raping a disabled woman at the Auglaize County Law Enforcement Center in October.
Mercer County Commissioners unanimously declared the Lange Road proposed sanitary sewer project a necessity Tuesday, opening the way for the planned sewer line to proceed.
Celina's parks and recreation board apparently will be replaced by an advisory panel that wields less authority.
City officials resumed a yearlong
ST. HENRY - More than 53 manufacturing businesses from both Ohio and Indiana will meet at St. Henry Consolidated Local Schools next week to listen to a presentation about Project Lead The Way.
ST. MARYS - Two years ago the city school district had no five-year plan and no mission statement. Earlier this week some community residents and district staff combined forces to get a plan to the board for a vote by the beginning of the 2007-08 school year.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Celina will get a chance to face off against one of the top teams in the Western Buckeye League on Friday at the Fieldhouse.
6:30 p.m. Friday - Redskins Gymnasium
Tip-Off: After a hot start, the Indians have struggled of late, losing their last three straight games, two in conference play. Things don't get easier with rival St. Henry on Friday and state-ranked Ansonia coming to Fort Site for Hall of Fame Night on Saturday.
6:30 p.m. Friday - Arnzen Gymnasium
Tip-Off: The Cardinals hit a bump last weekend, losing in overtime to Marion before giving Divisino IV top-ranked Russia all it could handle before losing a close game.
6:30 p.m. Friday - The Hangar
Tip-Off: The Panthers continue to have struggles. Last week it was a hot-shooting St. Henry team handing the Panthers a rough loss at home.
Marion
6:30 p.m. Friday - Wildcat Gymnasium
Tip-Off: The Wildcats snapped a two-game skid with a dominating start against Fort Loramie. The Wildcats get back over .500, but have two challenging games with Versailles and at St. Marys on Saturday.
6:30 p.m. Friday - Ranger Gymnasium
Tip-Off: The Cavaliers come in on a hot streak of late, winning three straight, including a big win over Minster in MAC play on Friday, then beating old WBL rival Elida at the Elida Fieldhouse on Saturday.
6:30 p.m. Friday - Hermiller Gymnasium
Tip-Off: The Roughriders can build off their rivalry win last Friday in knocking off Wapak at the Redskin Gym. The Roughriders kept Wapak center B.J. Reed in check for the most part to pull away late for the win.