Thursday, December 4th, 2014
U.S. 33 injury accident
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

A box truck is hauled away at about 8:15 a.m. today from the scene of a three-vehicle, injury accident that occurred at 1:20 a.m. on U.S. 33 between Hayes and Celina-Mendon roads. The driver of a Jeep, Scott L. Muhlenkamp, 35, Celina, and a passenger, James N. Poeppelman, 58, Mendon, were seriously injured and taken by squad to Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys. Their conditions were not available. Muhlenkamp reportedly was driving the Jeep westbound on U.S. 33 and attempting to turn left into a private drive when the Jeep was struck in the rear by a semitrailer driven by Bruce Ritter, 53, Lewisburg, and pushed into the eastbound lane where it collided head-on with the box truck, driven by Robert Iwan, 45, Chicago, Ill. The smaller truck came to rest on its side in the roadway. Ritter was cited for failure to maintain an assured, clear distance ahead. Both lanes of the highway were closed after the accident and reopened about 10 a.m.

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