Thursday, September 25th, 2014
Couple die in crash near Fort
By Margie Wuebker
FORT RECOVERY - An elderly Miami County couple were killed Wednesday night when their vehicle was struck by a semitrailer at the intersection of state routes 29 and 49, north of the village.
Kathleen Hickey, 82, and her husband, Billy N. Hickey, 86, of Piqua, were pronounced dead at the scene by Mercer County Coroner Dr. Timothy Heinrichs. Billy Hickey reportedly was a front-seat passenger.
Kathleen Hickey was driving a 2006 Chevy Impala northbound on state Route 49 at 7:11 p.m. when she failed to stop for a stop sign, according to a Mercer County Sheriff's Office report. Hickey proceeded into the intersection where her car was struck by a westbound 2012 Volvo semitrailer driven by Brandon L. Dobbs, 24, Muncie, Ind.
The heavily damaged car traveled off the road and came to rest in a nearby ditch after striking a utility pole, the report said. Dobbs reportedly was not injured.
A LifeFlight emergency helicopter initially was put on standby, but its services were later canceled.
Downed lines caused a power outage affecting nearly 50 Dayton Power & Light customers in the area for several hours until a crew replaced the damaged pole and restored electricity.
Deputies also were assisted at the scene by Southwest Mercer Fire Department, a Celina Fire Department ambulance and an Ohio State Highway Patrol motor carrier inspector.
Mercer County Emergency Response Volunteers handled traffic control. Jay County, Ind., authorities also assisted by diverting truck traffic from the scene near the Indiana-Ohio state line.The road was opened to traffic shortly after 12:30 a.m. today.
The crash remains under investigation.
The deaths of the Hickeys mark Mercer County's third and fourth traffic fatalities this year.
