BORDERLAND

Authorities probe fatal car-motorcycle collision

9/17/2013
BLADE STAFF

SANDUSKY — Authorities continued an investigation Monday into a motorcycle and car collision on U.S. 250 near this Erie County community in which a Chinese woman died and two Sandusky men were hurt.

Xiaolan “Katie” Chen, 22, of the Guangdong Province in southern China, a passenger on the motorcycle, was taken to Firelands Regional Medical Center, Sandusky, and then to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, where she was pronounced dead, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Jerry Vara, 58, the driver of the motorcycle, and Robert Ciocca, 62, the driver of the car, were also taken to Firelands. Their conditions were not released, the patrol said.

The motorcycle was southbound on U.S. 250 near East Strub Road in Perkins Township about 7:45 p.m. Sunday when it was struck by the Ciocca car, which was northbound on the highway, but failed to yield to the motorcycle and turned left in front of it onto Parkland Drive, the patrol said.

Mr. Vara and Miss Chen were thrown from the motorcycle, troopers said. They did not say whether the victims wore helmets.

No citations had been issued as of Monday.