3 Fulton County residents die in 3 separate accidents

10/1/2005

Three Fulton County residents - two teenagers and a 25-year-old woman, two of whom lived in Archbold - were killed in three separate traffic accidents - all within 22 hours of one another.

And in each - two yesterday and the other Thursday - a teenage driver failed to yield for either stops signs or a red traffic signal, authorities said.

Killed were:

●Tara R. Stamm, 25, of Archbold in a two-vehicle accident about 3 p.m. yesterday on State Rt. 795 at Glenwood Road in Perrysburg Township.

●Rebecca S. Turner, 18, of Lyons, Ohio, who was thrown from her car as it overturned about 7:45 a.m. yesterday after colliding with another car at State Rt. 109 and Fulton County Road S in Royalton Township.

●Susan M. Miller, 17, of Archbold in a two-vehicle accident about 5 p.m. Thursday at State Rt. 108 and Fulton County Road C in Clinton Township.

In the Perrysburg Township accident, Ms. Stamm's car was broadsided by a sport-utility vehicle that ran a red traffic light on Route 795 at Glenwood, troopers at patrol's Walbridge post said.

She was pronounced dead at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center after being flown there by medical helicopter.

Ms. Stamm was northbound on Glenwood when her car was struck by an SUV driven eastbound on Route 795 by Christopher L. Hoffer, 17, of Perrysburg Township.

He was taken to St. Luke's Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, while two passengers in his vehicle, who also are 17, were unhurt, troopers said.

No information on seat belt use was available.

The collision remains under investigation, troopers said.

In the Royalton Township accident, Ms. Turner's car was eastbound on Road S when she failed to yield for a stop sign and struck a car that was being driven southbound on Route 109 by Pamela J. Rideout, 52, of Metamora, Ohio, troopers at the patrol's Toledo post said.

Ms. Turner was pronounced dead at the scene. Ms. Rideout was taken by helicopter to Medical University of Ohio Medical Center in critical condition, troopers said.

Ms. Rideout was wearing a seat belt; Ms. Turner was not, troopers said.

Following the Clinton Township crash, Ms. Miller, a senior at Archbold High School, was taken by helicopter to MUO Medical Center, where she died Thursday night.

Miss Miller was eastbound on Road C when she failed to yield at a stop sign and pulled into the path of the tractor-trailer driven southbound on Route 108 by Green R. Wilson, 52, of Cumberland, Tenn., troopers at the patrol's Toledo post said.

He was treated at Fulton County Health Center, Wauseon.

Both drivers were wearing seat belts, troopers said.

Special counseling services were available yesterday at the high school, where Miss Miller was active in the band and choir.

John Downey, high school guidance counselor, said extra counselors as well as ministers from the Archbold Area Ministerial Association had been brought in to assist.