2 killed in Ottawa County crash

5/31/2012

OAK HARBOR, Ohio — Two men were killed today in a head-on collision on State Rt. 2 near the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Ottawa County’s Benton Township, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

Michael B. Aten, 60, of Vermilion, Ohio, and Ricky Jackson, 52, of Struthers, Ohio, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident near Lickert-Harder Road.

Troopers from the state patrol’s Sandusky post said Mr. Aten was driving west on Route 2 about 12:44 p.m. when his sport-utility vehicle crossed into the eastbound lane, colliding with Mr. Jackson’s tractor trailer.

A steel coil on the semi’s trailer broke loose and struck the cab of Mr. Jackson’s truck, while the SUV spun back across the north side of the highway and came to rest on the shoulder. The semi and the steel coil both came to rest in a ditch off the south side of the roadway.

State Rt. 2 was closed for about four and a half hours Thursday evening as the crash investigation continued.