Friday, January 13th, 2012

Man dies in pond tragedy

Officials say weather a factor in early morning accident south of Celina

By Margie Wuebker
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Tracks in the snow along Brown Road lead to the pond where the car of Danny L. Boise of Coldwater landed after he drove off the road in near white-out conditions this morning. The building is where the 61-year-old man collapsed and died.

A Coldwater man, reportedly en route to a dialysis treatment, died early today after he drove off Fleetfoot Road and into a nearby pond in the midst of a winter storm.
Danny L. Boise, 61, 911 N. Seventh St., Apt. 15, was found dead about 8 a.m. after nearby property owners Rick and Suzanne Murlin saw his body lying near a storage building at 5159 Brown Road. The area is between Fleetfoot and Meyer Road southwest of Celina.
Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey said investigators believe Boise drove his car off the road during near white-out conditions and traveled through a large farm field in an effort to return to the road. He apparently did not see the pond.
After getting out of the car, investigators believe Boise climbed up the pond's rocky bank as the car sank in 5 to 6 feet of water, leaving only the roof visible. He apparently collapsed near the building and was pronounced dead at the scene.
"He was wet and cold and trying to get help," Grey said this morning. "Given the wind chill, it would not have taken long to be overcome."
Wind with gusts of up to 40 miles per hour whipped fallen snow creating hazardous roadways and delaying the start of morning classes throughout the area. The wind chill index fell into single digits overnight.
Family members of Boise contacted the sheriff's office at 7:29 a.m. after learning he had not arrived for a scheduled 5 a.m. dialysis treatment in Celina. Deputies and Coldwater Police officers were checking on his whereabouts when the 7:52 a.m. call came in from a property owner who reported seeing a body near the building.
Grey was not able to pinpoint the time of the mishap but believes it occurred before 5 a.m. as Boise always arrived early for his treatment.
Arrangements were being made to remove the vehicle from the pond, Grey said. Family members told officials Boise was traveling alone.
Mercer County Coroner Timothy Heinrichs released the body to Hogenkamp Funeral Home in Coldwater.
Deputies were assisted at the scene by Celina Emergency Medical Services and Coldwater Police.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Members of Celina Emergency Medical Services carry the body of Danny L. Boise, Coldwater, to a waiting ambulance. Boise, 61, drove off the road and into a pond along Brown Road in near white-out conditions this morning.

Additional online story on this date
FORT RECOVERY - Points were at a premium at Fort Site Fieldhouse on Thursday night as Coldwater and Fort Recovery faced off in a matchup between Midwest Athletic Conference girls' basketball unbeatens. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Mercer County
Record-breaking sales tax revenue and frugal spending have lessened the burden of state funding cuts and put Mercer County in good financial shape for 2012.
Competition will air Saturday on ABC
CELINA - Celina native Ellen Bryan, Miss Ohio 2011, has been competing in the Miss America 2012 preliminaries all week in Las Vegas.
"We are holdi
The local health department is cutting expenses and skipping staff raises to maintain a lean 2012 budget.
The Mercer County-Celina City Board of He
Douglas Wine appealing conviction in first case, makes request for bail
ST. MARYS - A second sexual assault case has been dismissed against a local optometrist who was convicted in October on a separate sex charge.
Augl
Mercer County FSA office not closing, but cuts will be made
USDA may close 260 farm service agency offices nationwide, including five in Ohio, to save an estimated $150 million a year.
The Mercer County Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Celina is not slated for closure, executive director Chris Gibbs said Thursday. But his office will be making cuts.
Two local residents face felony drug charges in the wake of a Celina Police Department investigation into local heroin sales.
James Baker, 30, and Kristin Heath, 23, both of 537 Touvelle St., Lot 19, were arrested late Wednesday afternoon after search warrants were served at Heath's home.
CELINA - The Celina Bulldogs got the better of their Western Buckeye League foe Defiance, but Coldwater came away with Mercer County wrestling bragging rights.
WAPAKONETA - The Celina Lady Bulldogs stayed alive in the Western Buckeye League championship race as they went on the road and rallied from a second-half deficit to defeat the Wapakoneta Redskins 51-43 on Thursday night.
Local Roundup
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Marion Local outscored Versailles 13-8 in the fourth quarter on Thursday at The Hangar to pull away for a 52-42 win in Midwest Athletic Conference girls' basketball action.