Fremont man hurt in crash on U.S. 30

12/22/2006

MOUNT BLANCHARD, Ohio - A Fremont man was hurt seriously yesterday when his car collided with two tractor-trailers on U.S. 30 near Delaware Township Road 185.

One of the trucks struck a house in the township in the southeast corner of Hancock County, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

Andrew Cooper, 29, was flown to the Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, where he was in critical condition last night, a hospital spokesman said.

Mr. Cooper was driving north on Township Road 185 about

12:40 p.m. when he failed to yield at a stop sign, troopers at the patrol's Findlay post said.

Mr. Cooper's car was struck by a tractor-trailer being driven west on U.S. 30 by David J. Eilerman, 53, of Coldwater, Ohio, troopers at the patrol's Findlay post said.

Mr. Cooper's car was then hit by the second tractor-trailer being driven east on U.S. 30 by Benjamin H. Yoder, 64, of Gnadenhutten, Ohio, troopers said.

Mr. Yoder's tractor-trailer went off the north side of U.S. 30, hit a culvert, and struck the house of Michael K. Pezzi in the 16000 block of U.S. 30. The west side of the house had heavy structural damage and it was knocked off its foundation, troopers said.

Mr. Pezzi and his wife were home at the time, but were not hurt. Both truck drivers also escaped injury, troopers said.

U.S. 30 was closed for about five hours.