Friday, March 15th, 2019
Driver dies after crash
First fatality of 2019
By Leslie Gartrell
FORT RECOVERY - A car crash on Monday resulted in the first traffic fatality of the year in Mercer County.
Carth Jones, 63, Bradford, was driving westbound and failed to stop at the stop sign at Fort Recovery-Minster Road and State Route 119, according to a Fort Recovery Police Department news release. Jones' vehicle struck an eastbound pickup truck owned by Ottawa Oil Co. Inc., driven by Peter Walker, 55, Columbus Grove.
Both men were the sole occupants of the vehicles, and both were transported to Mercer County Community Hospital by St. Henry squads.
Walker was treated and later released. Jones was transported to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton and died on Tuesday as a result of his injuries.
Neither drugs nor alcohol was a factor, according to Fort Recovery Police Chief Jared Laux. Laux also said distraction was not a factor. Both men indicated they were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
Jones initially was given a citation for failure to yield but the citation has been dismissed.
The Fort Recovery Police Department was assisted at the scene by the Southwest Mercer Fire Department and the Mercer County Sheriff's Office.
