1 killed, several injured in area accidents

Van Wert independent

PAULDING COUNTY — The Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated two injury accidents Wednesday on U.S. 24 in Paulding County, with one person sustaining fatal injuries.

A Bowling Green truck driver was killed early Wednesday morning in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 24.

George J. Weiler, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene by a representative of the Paulding County Coroner’s Office as a result of injuries sustained in the accident.

According to investigating troopers from the Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Weiler was driving a 2016 International semi tractor-trailer rig east on U.S. 24 at approximately 4:55 a.m. Wednesday when the truck veered off the roadway near the intersection of County Road 11 and struck a bridge. The semi then continued over the bridge and down onto County Road 11, where it caught on fire.

Alcohol use is not suspected to be a factor in the crash and crash remains under investigation.

The Van Wert Post was assisted on scene by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Antwerp Fire and EMS, Ohio Department of Transportation, Paulding County Engineer’s Office, Hoagy Wrecker Service, and Robinson’s Wrecker Service.

U.S. 24 was temporarily closed in both directions during the investigation but was later reopened.

The Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a three vehicle injury crash that occurred on U.S. 24 just east of U.S. 127, in Paulding County.

The Patrol also investigated a three-vehicle injury accident that occurred on U.S. 24, just east of U.S. 127, at approximately 3 p.m. Wednesday.

According to troopers, a 2015 Ram pickup truck driven by David Russell, 46, of Beechmont, Kentucky, was headed east on U.S. 24 when Russell lost control of the vehicle in a heavy rainfall. The pickup slid through the median and was then struck by a westbound 2017 GMC truck driven by Michel Lalonde, 36, of Bourget, Ontario. The Lalonde vehicle was, in turn, rear-ended by a westbound 2011 Volvo semi driven by Kevin Cameron, 60, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Lalonde, and a passenger in his vehicle, Vicky Lalonde, 35, also of Bourget, were treated and released. Both were using seatbelts at the time of the crash. Russell was transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Russell was also using a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Cameron was also transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Seatbelt use for Cameron is unknown.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Paulding County ODOT workers, Paulding Fire and EMS, Paulding County Emergency Management Agency, Sherwood Fire, Parkview EMS, Antwerp EMS, R and O Towing, Hoagy Towing and Recovery, and Parker Towing and Recovery.

Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation. Both westbound and eastbound lanes of U.S. 24 were closed for the recovery and clean-up process, but were later reopened.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol encourages drivers and occupants to always where their seat belts, to never drive distracted or impaired, and to reduce speed during inclement weather.