Two motorists — one from Sabina and one from Lebanon — died in separate vehicle accidents within a few hours late Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning in Clinton County.
A two-vehicle head-on crash on Friday at approximately 4:41 p.m. on State Route 72 in Wilson Township claimed the life of a Sabina man.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the preliminary investigation revealed that Richard Steiner, 69, of Sabina, was driving a 2001 Chevrolet S-10 pickup northbound on State Route 72. The driver of the other vehicle, Joshua McKinley, 27, of Hillsboro, was driving a 2016 Kia Sportage southbound on State Route 72 when the two vehicles collided head-on.
Steiner was pronounced dead at the scene by the Clinton County Coroner’s Office.
McKinley was transported by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital with serious injuries. Two juvenile occupants also inside the Kia Sportage were relayed to area hospitals for evaluations.
OSHP Sgt. Mike Ross told the News Journal Monday afternoon that McKinley was found to be at fault for driving left-of-center. It is unknown at this time if he will face any charges, Ross said.
The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, Clinton County Coroner’s Office, SRWW Joint Fire District 2 and the Ohio Department of Transportation assisted on scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
Wrong-way driver killed
A three-vehicle fatal crash occurred at approximately 1:42 a.m. Saturday on northbound Interstate 71 in Adams Township.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Ryan Noe, 32, of Lebanon, was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes, according to the OSHP. The Chevrolet Silverado struck head-on a 2008 Dodge Ram pulling a camper.
The camper detached from the Dodge Ram and continued northbound. The Dodge Ram, driven by Todd St. Onge, 18 of Lockport, New York, was then struck by a 2012 Hyundai Sonata, driven by Mariah Bickford, 18, of Westerville, Ohio.
Ryan Noe was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Clinton County Coroner.
Todd St. Onge and his passenger Allison Clark, 17, of Lockport, New York were transported from the scene with non-life threatening injuries. Mariah Bickford was treated and released at the scene.
Alcohol and or drugs are suspected to be a factor in this crash, the OSHP stated.
Assisting at the crash scene was the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Reconstruction Unit and traffic control from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
The crash remains under investigation.
