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Local News

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Woman killed in accident

Findlay Inn & Conference Center -Downtown Findlay
By ERIC SCHAADT

Staff Writer

Interstate 75 turned treacherous Wednesday morning as slick road conditions were blamed for a rash of accidents, including one which took the life of a Bluffton woman.

Kay Johnson, 38, was killed when her car slid into the opposite lanes and struck a tractor-trailer head on, according to the Lima post of the State Highway Patrol.

The driver of the truck, Roy Haynes, 56, of Findlay, was listed in fair condition Wednesday night at Lima Memorial Hospital.

The patrol reported that Johnson was southbound on the interstate near Beaverdam at 6:01 a.m. when her car went off the left side of the road, through the median and into the northbound lanes, colliding with Haynes' rig.

Weather was cited as a factor in the accident, according to the patrol.

The Lima post also handled five other wrecks on the interstate Wednesday morning. None was believed to have resulted in serious injuries.

“Cars just slid off the road, people not slowing down,” a patrol dispatcher said.

About a dozen accidents were reported Wednesday morning in the stretch of I-75 around Findlay. The Findlay patrol post said six people were hurt. Details of the accidents were not available Wednesday night.

One accident, involving four vehicles, shut down travel on the interstate for two hours Wednesday morning, according to the Findlay post.

Numerous accidents occurred around 7:10 a.m. Wednesday north of Findlay on the interstate near the scales area.

And a commercial truck reportedly rolled onto its side on the intestate at 5:30 a.m.

Traffic accidents were not just limited to the interstate.

A rural Findlay teenager was hurt in a two-vehicle accident at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Allen Township Road 108 and County Road 236.

Treated and released from Blanchard Valley Hospital was Jordan Hammond, 16.

The Findlay patrol post reported she was driving on the township road when her Chevy slid through the intersection and into the path of a Ford truck operated on the county road by Randy Cunningham, 43, of rural Van Buren.

No citation had been issued as of late Wednesday.

Another motorist escaped serious injury when her van slid into Lye Creek at 9:12 a.m. Wednesday. The driver -- whose name was not immediately available -- was checked for injuries at the scene.

Her van went off the icy Marion Township Road 180, north of Ohio 37, and into the creek. The van landed on its passenger side in knee-high water.

EMTs and the Vanlue Fire Department waded into the creek with a ladder to rescue the driver, according to Fire Chief Bill Drown.

The Hancock County Sheriff's Office responded to five accidents on icy roads, none involving serious injuries.

No snow is predicted today, but there is a 60 percent of snow tonight, according to forecasters.

Contact staff writer Eric Schaadt at: (419) 427-8414 Send an e-mail to Eric Schaadt

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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.


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The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.


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With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.


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The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.


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Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

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