1 dead in State Route 29 crash

A Sidney man was killed in a crash reported at 6:49 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of State Route 29 and Harris Road, according to a news release from the Mercer County Sheriff's Office.

Atsushi Tanaka, 26, reportedly was pronounced dead at the scene, after the car he was driving ended up in a pond.

A preliminary investigation found Tanaka was driving a 2021 Honda Accord westbound on State Route 29 behind a 2016 Volvo semitrailer driven by Adil Sabanagic, 65, Utica, New York.

Sabanagic reportedly was slowing or stopped in traffic to turn south onto Harris Road, but may have missed his turn and began backing up his semitrailer to make the turn. The trailer reportedly blocked part of the roadway.

Tanaka's Honda Accord struck the back of the semitrailer before his car traveled off the north side of the roadway, down a ditch, through a fence and into a pond where it was submerged.

The Celina Fire Department dive team was called to assist with the rescue, but Tanaka reportedly was pronounced dead at the scene. The dive team had to pull the car out of the water to reach Tanaka because the high water pressure prevented team members from opening the car's door, sheriff Jeff Grey said.

Grey said neither vehicle had significant damage, but because the Honda was submerged in water, it was totaled.

Grey reported there is a witness and video that deputies are reviewing. Grey said drugs or alcohol were not suspected factors in the crash and he didn't know if either driver was wearing a seatbelt. Sabanagic was uninjured, Grey said.

The road was closed at 7:56 a.m. and was reopened 9:37 a.m. according to sheriff's office.

No citations have been issued in the crash which remains under investigation, Grey said.