5 injured in 3-vehicle county accident

VW independent/submitted information

Several people were injured in a three-vehicle accident that occurred at the intersection of Ohio 116 and Middle Point Road in Ridge Township.

Those injured include all three drivers, John Bill Jr., 43, of Van Wert, Edwin Eickholt, 62, of Venedocia, and Stacy Strick, 55, of Van Wert, who were taken to Van Wert Health by ambulance for treatment. In addition, two juveniles who were passengers in the Bill vehicle were transported by helicopter to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Toledo. The two juveniles were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

According to investigating troopers from the Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Bill was driving a 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe west on Middle Point Road at approximately 3:34 p.m. Tuesday when he reportedly failed to yield the right of way at the intersection with Ohio 116 and was struck by Eickholt’s 2012 Ford F-150 pickup truck, which was headed southeast on Ohio 116. Bill’s vehicle then hit Strick’s 2015 Toyota Avalon, which was stopped at the stop sign in the eastbound lane of Ohio 116, continued off the left side of the roadway and overturned.

Eickholt’s vehicle veered off the right side of the roadway and also overturned.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office, Van Wert Police Department, Middle Point Fire Department, Middle Point EMS, Van Wert Fire Department, Van Wert EMS, St. Vincent’s Life Flight, Samaritan Life Flight, Superior Collision, Hague’s Towing, and Straightline Auto Body.

The crash remains under investigation.