Staff report
gogle@wbcowqel.com
State Route 598 in eastern Crawford County was a dangerous and deadly road to travel over the weekend. Three people were killed and at least six others injured in two crashes under investigation by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office just one day and a few miles apart.
A Bucyrus man died at Grant Hospital as a result of injuries he suffered in a two-vehicle-crash Saturday afternoon in Jefferson Township. 73-year-old Paul Houk was first taken to Galion Community Hospital by ambulance and later flown by medical helicopter to Grant where he was pronounced deceased.
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office reports that accident occurred at the intersection of St. Rt. 598 and Co. Rd. 330 around 3:45 in the afternoon when the vehicle driven by Houk was traveling west on 330 and collided with a vehicle traveling north on 598 operated by 52-year-old David Linden of Sandusky.
The Sheriff’s Office reports that Linden’s vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign. Both vehicles went off the northwest corner of the intersection and struck a power pole and stop sign.
Linden and all four passengers in his vehicle – 45-year-old Michaela Linden, 19-year-old Taylor Linden, 15-year-old Caroline Linden and 10-year-old Catherine Linden – were taken by ambulance to Galion Community Hospital along with a passenger in the vehicle operated by Houk, 21-year-old Madeline Bowen of Ontario.
Galion Fire/EMS, Crestline Fire/EMS and LifeStar all responded to the scene of the accident.
Just a little over 24 hours later another accident at the intersection of state routes 598 and 39 claimed the lives of an elderly couple from Ashland. The Sheriff’s Office reported that both 78-year-old Delbert Gayheart who was the driver and his passenger, 75-year-old Adie Gayheart were killed on impact when their vehicle was struck by a semi-truck.
The report indicates that the Gayheart’s vehicle was traveling east on St. Rt. 39. A semi-truck operated by 52-year-old Terry Collins of North Carolina was traveling south on St. Rt. 598 and failed to stop at the stop sign at that intersection
The Sheriff’s Office is asking that anyone with information pertaining to that accident which was called in at 12:49 Sunday afternoon to contact Capt. Scott Baldosser.