Driver in crash fatal to dentist gets jail term

8/5/2003

An Indiana truck driver who was convicted in connection with a head-on collision that killed an area dentist received a maximum jail sentence yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

Eric Clapper, 38, of Muncie was sentenced to six months in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, Stryker. He pleaded no contest July 8 to negligent vehicular homicide for causing the March 2 death of Dr. Bruce Van Wey.

Judge Robert Christiansen suspended Mr. Clapper's commercial operator's license for five years and took away his state driver's license for two years.

Dr. Van Wey was westbound on Central Avenue between Raab and Langenderfer roads when Mr. Clapper's eastbound semi went left of center into the westbound lane. Dr. Van Wey swerved into the eastbound lane to avoid the truck, but Mr. Clapper corrected and returned to the eastbound lane, colliding with the victim's car.

Dr. Van Wey, 52, practiced dentistry in Elyria but spent weekends in Toledo with his family. He was driving to church when the accident occurred.