Berkey man, 58, dies after 3-vehicle crash

10/2/2013

One person died after a three-vehicle crash Tuesday on West Central Avenue at Herr Road in Sylvania Township, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

Gary A. Ford, 58, of Berkey was stopped on eastbound Central, waiting to turn north on Herr about 1:05 p.m. when a car driven by Austin M. Smith, 19, of Ottawa Lake rear-ended his sport-utility vehicle and pushed it left of center, troopers from the patrol’s Toledo post said.

Mr. Ford’s vehicle was struck by a westbound tractor-trailer driven by Thomas L. Mika, 61, of Lyons, Ohio. Mr. Ford’s vehicle went off the north side of the road and overturned.

Mr. Ford was taken to Flower Hospital, where he died. Mr. Smith and Mr. Mika were not hurt. All the drivers wore seat belts.

Central was closed at Herr in both directions for more than three hours. The crash remained under investigation later Tuesday.