Area woman dies in Mercer County crash

Mercer County Sheriff’s Dept. news

CELINA — Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey reported Friday that his office is investigating a fatal traffic crash. Mercer County 9-1-1 received several calls at 5:39 p.m. Friday advising of a crash at the intersection of Ohio 29 and Ohio 118.

The investigation revealed that Michelle R. Bruns, 36, of Maria Stein, was driving a 2010 Lexus southbound on Ohio 118, when she apparently ran a posted stop sign at the intersection and drove into the path of a 2005 Freightliner semi tractor-trailer rig driven west on Ohio 29 by Thomas L. Sims Jr., 36, of Indianapolis, Ind.

Bruns’s vehicle became lodged under the tractor trailer and was dragged west of the intersection. Both vehicles came to rest on Ohio 29, west of the intersection.

Sims was not injured in the crash, while Bruns was pronounced dead t the scene.

Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Celina Fire Department, Motor Carrier Enforcement Division of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Mercer County Emergency Response volunteers.