Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006

Sheet of fog results in vehicles piling into each other

By Margie Wuebker
Heavy fog in a 200-foot section of state Route 119 resulted in multiple accidents that quickly turned the busy highway into a parking lot.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office quickly closed down the roadway between Cranberry and Fleetfoot Roads, east of St. Henry, shortly after 7:30 a.m. to prevent additional crashes.
The chain reaction began when Orville A. Niekamp, 66, 155 W. Main St., Osgood, became lost in the fog while driving westbound. He drifted left of center and drove off the left side of the road.
Kevin R. Smith, 38, of Union City, saw Niekamp's 1991 Plymouth van go off the road. He reportedly braked his 2004 Freightliner to prevent a crash and was struck in the rear by a 1995 Mack truck driven by Kenneth J. Beyke, 20, 4741 Kremer-Hoying Road, St. Henry.
Mike A. Shreeves, 50, of Portland, Ind., failed to see Beyke stopped in the fog. His 1995 Mack truck struck the rear of the Shreeves truck.
Denise L. Eilerman, 40, of Fort Loramie, saw the crash and was in the process of making a U-turn to leave the area when her 2000 Chevy van was struck in the side by a 1997 Ford pickup truck driven by Kenneth V. Broering, 47, 6722 Huwer Road, Maria Stein. Broering subsequently veered off the road and struck the 2004 GMC Savannah of Keith Roberts, 36, of Elida. Roberts reportedly had pulled well off the roadway to avoid being hit, according to the sheriff's office reports.
Shreeves and Beyke were taken by ambulance to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater for treatment of injuries. No information regarding their conditions was available due to federal patient privacy regulations.
Witnesses at the scene described the fog as being extremely heavy. One man, who declined to give his name, stated "You could not see your hand in front of your face." Drivers had no time to react after seeing taillights.
People residing in the area reported wispy traces of fog earlier in the morning but the current simply dropped, according to another witness.
"You hear about things like this on the television news," another man said. "But you don't imagine it will ever happen in Mercer County, Ohio."
The highway reopened around 10:30 a.m. after the fog lifted to allow for removal of the wreckage.
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Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Budget-minded consumers make it difficult for government officials to determine the effect utility rate increases will have on public coffers.
The city of Celina, for example, is now seeking to raise water rates by about 21 percent by April 1, 2007.
A former director of the Auglaize County elections board, has filed a $500,000 civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Toledo against county officials and current and former election board members.
Members of the Lake Restoration Committee during their Monday night meeting urged the Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District to develop a protocol on dealing with possible pollution complaints.
ST. HENRY - A group of concerned parents complained to the board of education Monday night that their children did not have adequate time to drive to Tri Star classes in St. Marys.
Other schools across nation already using similar programs
MINSTER - Athletes in the Minster Local School District will kick off a new program that officials expect other student organizations and groups to embrace.
FORT RECOVERY -  For the first time in 13 years the village is considering a utility rate increase.
Village Administrator Randy Diller proposed a $2 per month raise in the base price for water and a $1 per month raise in the base price for sewer.
MINSTER - The Minster Local Schools Board of Education finalized plans to seek an income tax levy and renewal of a permanent improvement levy in November.
Pay increases mirror teachers' raises
Celina board of education members approved two-year salary contracts for both the superintendent and the district treasurer that mirror salary increases contained in the teachers' new contract.
FORT RECOVERY - Village Council met Monday night, reviewing options for utility rate increases and other topics including:
• Heard Union Township did not use $8,300 of Community Development Block Grant funds, which were allocated to the village for the Buck ditch project.
Supervisor elections will be held; ABN broadcaster Dale Minyo to provide evening's entertainment
The Auglaize County Soil and Water Conservation District will hold its 60th annual meeting on Aug. 29 at the St. Joseph Parish Center, 107 E. Pearl St., Wapakoneta, a news release from the SWCD office states.
Local Sports Roundup
The Celina girls tennis team has opened the season at 2-0 following wins over Wapakoneta and Greenville on the road.
The Bulldogs defeated Wapakoneta 5-0 in the Western Buckeye League opener on Monday.