Two killed, four injured in Fulton County crash

12/25/2007

ARCHBOLD, Ohio Two Wauseon residents, one of them a teenager, were killed and four were hurt when a car and a sport-utility vehicle collided Monday night at State Rt. 2 and Fulton County Road 19 about five miles northeast of this Fulton County community, authorities said.

David Mealer, 50, the driver of the SUV, and Hollis Richer, 17, a family friend, were pronounced dead at the scene, troopers at the Ohio Highway Patrol s Toledo post said.

Brock Mealer, 22, Mr. Mealer s son, was listed in critical condition yesterday at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said.

Shelly Mealer, 47, Mr. Mealer s wife, and Elliott Mealer, 18, another son, were treated at the Fulton County Health Center, Wauseon, where H. Edward Johnson, 90, the driver of the car, was transported. No information about Mr. Johnson was immediately available, a nursing supervisor at the hospital said.

The accident occurred about 9:35 p.m. at the German-Clinton township line, troopers said.

Mr. Johnson was southbound on Road 19 when he ran a stop sign at Route 2 and collided with the SUV, which was eastbound on the state route, troopers said. The SUV then overturned, went off the south side of the road, and came to rest on its top, troopers said.

Mr. Johnson, the driver of the car, was wearing a seat belt. Of the five people in the SUV, at least four were not wearing seat belts; it was unknown whether Brock Mealer was wearing one, troopers said.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. No charges have been filed as of Monday morning.

Archbold is about 40 miles west of Toledo.