Monday, August 21st, 2006
Local pedestrian killed
By Margie Wuebker
A Montezuma-area woman was killed early Saturday morning as she walked along state Route 219, east of Coldwater.
Renee M. Huber, 29, 5477 Karafit Road, was pronounced dead on arrival at Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater. Her death marks the second fatality in Mercer County this year.
Mercer County Sheriff's deputies responded to a 12:11 a.m. call of a pedestrian struck.
Jordan M. Brunswick, 17, 1050 St. Johns Road, Maria Stein, was driving a Chevrolet Monte Carlo eastbound when he struck Huber who was walking on the south side of state Route 219, near Fleetfoot Road. The body was thrown over the car upon impact.
Brunswick reportedly did not see Huber who was wearing dark clothing. She was struck in the center of the eastbound lane, although authorities do not know her direction of travel.
"We are asking anyone who might have seen her on the road or knows where she was headed to or coming from to call us at 419-586-7724," Sheriff Jeff Grey told The Daily Standard. "The investigation is continuing."
Grey could neither confirm or deny reports Huber had been at a Coldwater establishment earlier in the evening.
Also responding to the scene were Coldwater Police, Coldwater Fire Department, Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Hinders and members of the Mercer County Emergency Response Volunteers.
Huber took over the duties of co-owner/operator of the Shingle Shack following the illness and subsequent death of her mother, Norma Heuing Huber, in September 2003.
"Renee was a happy person with a heart of gold," her sister Sherri Ranly said. "She really enjoyed being around people."
Her caring apparently extended beyond people to a pair of dogs she named Nate and Rusty. The menagerie also included at least one cat.
"Animals would show up on the doorstep," Ranly says. "Renee was a soft touch - she could not turn them away hungry."
Ryan Weber, a childhood friend who now lives in Cincinnati, recalls family members talking about Huber offering to give up an Easy-Bake Oven so a homeless man could heat some soup.
Huber, a 1995 graduate of Celina High School, earned a bachelor's degree in business from Tiffin University.
"I always sensed in this girl an intelligence many people missed," he said. "Honest, witty, articulate. She deserved some reward."
