No charges filed in fatal crashes, investigations continue

0

No charges have been filed after two recent fatal accidents in Delaware and Marion counties, according to state troopers.

Troopers from Delaware post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Monday that an investigation into the April 9 fatal crash that killed three people on Interstate 71 is still ongoing and no charges have been filed.

The crash killed Martin J. Stewart, 60, of Cleveland, Ohio; Kim A. Power, 49, of Ontario, Canada; and Adrian D. Brown, 39, of New Lexington, Ohio.

According to troopers, the crash occurred on April 9 at about 9:40 p.m. on I-71 near mile post 124 in Orange Township. Troopers said Stewart and Power were involved in a single-vehicle crash after they lost control of their 2003 Chevy Trailblazer, drove off the left side of the northbound roadway and hit a guard rail.

Brown was reportedly driving north on I-71 and stopped to help. Stewart, Power and Brown were standing next to the Trailblazer in the median when Tabitha S. Douglas, 40, of Mansfield lost control of her 2011 Nissan Versa and and struck the three men and the Trailblazer.

Douglas sustained non-life threatening injuries, troopers said, and was transported by Orange Township EMS to St. Ann’s Memorial Hospital.

Stewart, Power and Brown all were pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said.

Douglas was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and alcohol and/or drug use is not suspected, troopers said.

Then, on April 16, a Delaware woman was involved in a fatal crash in Marion County.

Troopers from the Marion post say 80-year-old Bucyrus resident Edward Reiter was killed in the crash.

The crash occurred at 1:18 p.m. when a Honda Civic driven by Frances M. Reiter, 79, of Bucyrus, pulled from the center median area to cross the northbound lanes and struck a Mazda Tribute, driven by Helen Ritter, 46, of Delaware in the passenger side.

Edward Reiter was a passenger in the Honda at the time of the crash.

The Mazda contained two passengers, Matt Ritter, 37, and Ellie Hall, 4, also of Delaware.

The occupants of the Mazda were transported to Marion General Hospital by Marion Township Fire & EMS, troopers said. Marion General staff said they had been released from the hospital before Tuesday.

Mrs. Reiter was transported to OSU Medical Center by medical helicopter, troopers said. Mr. Reiter was transported to Marion General Hospital by First Consolidated Fire & EMS and was was pronounced dead at Marion General.

Both investigations are still ongoing, troopers report.

By Glenn Battishill

[email protected]

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.

No posts to display