Officials: Medical problem blamed for fatal crash near Genoa
12/27/2013GENOA -- A Toledo man was killed and a Northwood couple were seriously injured Friday afternoon in a head-on collision on State Rt. 51 that authorities blamed on a medical problem.
Jacob M. Thompson, 32, was declared dead at the scene of the 1 p.m. crash by Dr. David Bodie, a deputy Ottawa County coroner, troopers with the Ohio Highway Patrol's Sandusky post said.
Russell H. Warnke, 54, and Wanda L. Warnke, 53, were both seriously injured in the collision and were transported, respectively, to the University of Toledo Medical Center and Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, both in Toledo.
Mr. Warnke was headed southeast on Route 51 approaching State Rt. 163 in Clay Township, just east of Genoa, when he suffered an undisclosed medical problem and his pickup truck crossed the highway's center line, striking Mr. Thompson's car, which careened off the east side of the roadway after the crash, troopers said.
None of the three people involved wore a seat belt, according to the report. The accident remained under investigation later Friday, with no charges immediately filed.
UTMC is the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital.