Tuesday, April 24th, 2018
St. Marys teen killed in accident
By Tom Stankard
WAPAKONETA - The second St. Marys teen in a week has died from injuries suffered in and automobile accident on U.S. 33 in western Auglaize County.
Heaven L. Bolinger, 18, was traveling southbound on Kettlersville Road in a 1998 Oldsmobile four-door at about 3 p.m. Monday, when she reportedly failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection with U.S. 33, according to a news release from the Wapakoneta Ohio State Highway Patrol Post.
Charles C. Estle, 24, Mendon, was westbound on U.S. 33 in a 2015 Nissan sport utility vehicle and reportedly struck the Oldsmobile on the driver's side, the release stated.
The Oldsmobile came to rest in the median and Bolinger reportedly had to be extricated from the vehicle by Buckland firefighters. The Nissan came to rest on the westbound berm, according to the release.
Bolinger was pronounced dead at the scene by the Auglaize County coroner's office, and her body was taken to Bayliff and Eley Funeral Home in Wapakoneta, the release stated.
Estle reportedly was transported by the Wapakoneta Fire Department to Lima Memorial Hospital, according to the release. He reportedly was treated for bruises from the seatbelt and cuts from the airbag and then released, patrol post commander Lt. Scott Carrico told the newspaper.
The Oldsmobile sustained disabling damage to the driver's side while the Nissan sustained disabling damage to the front end, Carrico noted.
Both victims were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and neither alcohol nor drugs were determined to be factors in the accident, the release stated. The patrol was assisted at the scene by the Auglaize County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
This is the third confirmed traffic fatality this year in the county, Carrico said. The second occurred on April 16 and also involved a St. Marys teen who reportedly also failed to stop at a stop sign when approaching U.S. 33.
Kennedy Schreiber, 16, was northbound on Townline-Kossuth Road, where she failed to stop the car, and it was struck by an eastbound sedan operated by Brian Grube.
When discussing possible factors in the accidents, Carrico said both drivers were young and possibly inexperienced with driving on heavily traveled roadways. He noted the possibility that both drivers may have been distracted.
