Saturday, April 30th, 2011

Michigan man dies in Auglaize County crash

By Shelley Grieshop

WAPAKONETA - A Michigan man was killed when the semitrailer he was driving struck the rear of another semitrailer on Interstate 75 in Auglaize County at 9:27 p.m. Thursday.

Jerry Derstepanian, 50, of Allen Park, Mich., was pronounced dead at Lima Memorial Hospital, where he was taken by a Wapakoneta squad.

The other driver, Fernando Rondo, 59, of Lake Worth, Fla., was not injured.

The report from the Wapakoneta post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Derstepanian was driving a 2005 International semitrailer north on I-75 near Wapakoneta when the vehicle crashed into the rear of the trailer driven by Rondo.

The cause of the crash remains unknown and under investigation. Alcohol is not suspected.

Troopers said Rondo was wearing a properly-adjusted seat belt but they were not certain if a seat belt was worn by Derstepanian.

Derstepanian's death marks the second traffic fatality in Auglaize County this year.

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