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Multiple area people died in motor accidents over Labor Day weekend, with a series of fatal crashes logged in Mercer, Auglaize, Darke and Allen counties.
Two Minster teenagers died early Monday morning in a single-vehicle accident on State Route 362, according to a news release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Auglaize County sheriff's deputies along with state troopers responded to the scene near Milepost 1 on State Route 362 at 3:44 a.m. Monday. The preliminary investigation found that a 2017 BMW 300 was traveling northbound on State Route 362, failed to negotiate a curve and drove off the right side of the roadway, then struck a tree, the release states. The BMW then caught fire and burned.
Both unidentified teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names were not released by press time.
The crash remains under investigation by the Wapakoneta Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Authorities were assisted at the scene by the Minster Police Department, Auglaize County CERT and Midway Towing.
A prayer service was held at 3 p.m. Monday at St. Augustine Catholic Church for loved ones of the victims.
Prior to the Minster tragedy, a 62-year-old Celina woman died and a 35-year-old Waynesfield woman was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Saturday evening in North Star, according to a news release from Darke County Sheriff Mark Whittaker.
Sheriff's deputies from both Mercer and Darke counties responded to the intersection of State Route 705 and U.S. Route 127 in North Star at about 7:15 p.m. Saturday in reference to a two-vehicle injury accident, the release states.
A preliminary investigation revealed a blue Ford F-150, driven by Kathleen Forwerck, was traveling west on State Route 705, and a blue Ford F-450, driven by Candace Muir, was traveling north on U.S. Route 127. Forwerck failed to yield at the posted stop signs at the intersection and collided with Muir.
Forwerck was pronounced dead at the scene and Muir was transported to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater to be treated for her injuries. The severity of her injuries is unknown.
The accident remains under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities were assisted on scene by the Darke County Coroner's Office, Ohio State Patrol, Osgood Fire and Rescue, North Star Fire Department and Ansonia Rescue.
Earlier Saturday, at about lunch time, an unidentified juvenile died in a golf cart accident in Union City, according to a county sheriff's office release.
Darke County Sheriff's deputies were called at around 11:15 a.m. to the 500 block of Converse Road in Union City regarding a golf cart rollover.
The preliminary investigation revealed that four juveniles were traveling in a golf cart on the roadway when it veered off the right side and overturned. All four were ejected.
CareFlight transported one juvenile to Dayton Children's Hospital, where they later succumbed to their injuries. The remaining three juveniles were treated at the scene and released to their families. The crash remains under investigation.
The sheriff's office was assisted on the scene by Union City Fire and Rescue and the Union City Police Department.
As well, a 56-year-old Bradford man was airlifted to a Troy hospital on Friday night with non-life threatening injuries after a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Childrens Home-Bradford and Horatio-New Harrison roads in Bradford, a news release from Whittaker states.
Authorities responded to the scene at 8:25 p.m. Friday. The preliminary investigation found that a black 2021 Chevrolet Suburban, driven by Brendan Whitford, 38, of Franklin, was traveling eastbound on Childrens Home-Bradford Road while a green 2020 Toyota Tacoma, driven by John Wyan, was traveling south on Horatio-New Harrison Road.
Whitford failed to yield at a posted stop sign and was struck by Wyan. Whitford was transported by EMS to Wayne Healthcare in Greenville. His passengers Holly Whitford, 36, of Franklin and three juveniles, were uninjured.
Wyan was airlifted by CareFlight to Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy and his passenger, Cheryl Newbold, 55, of Arcanum, was transported to Wayne Healthcare by EMS.
All injuries were non-life threatening. The crash remains under investigation.
Authorities were assisted at the scene by Gettysburg Fire and Rescue, Greenville Township Rescue and CareFlight.
In Mercer County, a 45-year-old Ada man was killed early Sunday evening in a motorcycle-car accident on U.S. 127 near Carthagena, according to a news release from Mercer County Sheriff Doug Timmerman.
Authorities were called to the scene at 5:24 p.m. Sunday, where a preliminary investigation revealed that Roger Brockman, 70, of Coldwater was traveling southbound on U.S. Route 127 and attempting to turn east onto State Route 274 in a 2010 Ford truck, the release states. At the same time, Timothy Betts was also traveling southbound on U.S. Route 127 on a 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycle. Betts attempted to pass several cars in a no passing zone and collided with Brockman as he was making the turn.
Betts was not wearing a helmet and was ejected off of the bike. He was transported to the Mercer County Community Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Brockman's injuries were not reported. This was the fourth fatal crash recorded by authorities in Mercer County this year.
The Chickasaw Fire Department, St. Henry Rescue and Mercer County Emergency Response Volunteers assisted at the scene. The accident remains under investigation and will be forwarded to the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office for review, according to the release.
On Monday morning, a 17-year-old Spencerville boy died in a single-vehicle crash on State Route 117 in Allen County, a news release from the Shawnee Township Police Department states.
Owen Conley was operating a 2008 Honda Accord at around 4 a.m. Monday, traveling westbound on State Route 117, when his vehicle traveled off the north side of the roadway. It struck an embankment, collided with a tree and overturned before coming to a rest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The release states that Conley was not wearing a seat belt and that alcohol was believed to be a factor. The crash remains under investigation.
Assisting at the scene was the Ohio State Patrol, Allen County Coroner's Office, Shawnee Township Rescue and Army's Towing.
State troopers were also called to the intersection of Hay and Amherst roads near Harrod in Allen County on a report of a motorcycle accident at about 2 p.m. Saturday, an Ohio State Patrol release states.
Stephen Snyder, 45, of Lima, was riding on a 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycle headed southbound on Hay Road when he approached the T-intersection at Amherst Road and continued straight off the roadway striking a large ditch, the release states.
He was transported to Lima Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
The release alleged Snyder was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision and that drugs appeared to be a factor. The crash remains under investigation.
Assisting at the scene were Perry Township EMS, Hardin County EMS, Westminster EMS and Fire, Allen County EMA, and Able Towing.
