Seat-belt use, speed probed in crash that killed infant

11/14/2013

GENOA — The Ohio Highway Patrol is trying to determine whether speed and the improper use of seat belts were factors in a accident at the Wood-Ottawa county line on Tuesday that killed an infant and injured her twin brother.

Presley Massingill, 6 weeks old, was pronounced dead at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center. Her brother, Parker Massingill, was flown to St. Vincent and later transferred to University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, where he was listed in critical condition, according to Lt. Jerrod Savidge, commander of the Ohio Highway Patrol’s Bowling Green post.

The infants were passengers in the backseat of the 2000 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by their mother, Lori Massingill, 38, of Ida, Mich. She was listed in fair condition on Wednesday at St. Vincent.

Troopers said she was northbound on Fostoria Road, south of State Rt. 163, in Wood County’s Troy Township about 11 a.m. Tuesday when she went over the railroad tracks, went airborne, and lost control.

The car went off the right side of the road, traveled back onto the road and to the left side, where it struck the ditch and rolled twice, troopers said.

Lieutenant Savidge said investigators hope to have information today on the speed the car was going when it went over the tracks, which are above the road grade.

Also, troopers are looking into the child safety seats that held the infants and whether the equipment was securely secured to the backseat, he said.