Grover Hill woman dies in 2-vehicle crash

VW independent/submitted information

BLUE CREEK TOWNSHIP — A Grover Hill woman was killed Friday afternoon in a two-vehicle accident that occurred at the intersection of U.S. 127 and Township Road 48 in Paulding County.

Karenann Winters, 76, was pronounced dead at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, from injuries received in the accident.

According to the Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ms. Winters was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu west on Township Road 48 at approximately 1:18 p.m. Friday and first stopped at the stop sign with U.S. 127, before continuing west onto the highway, where her vehicle was hit by a 1994 Dodge Dakota driving south on U.S. 127 by John A. Vibbert, 21, of Van Wert. Both vehicles ended up just off the southwest corner of the intersection.

Ms. Winters was taken by Samaritan air medical transport to Parkview, while Vibbert was treated at the scene and two passengers in his vehicle, Zane Lippi, 20, and Joshua Ebel, also 20, both of Van Wert, were transported to Van Wert Health for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

U.S. 127 was closed for approximately an hour as a result of the accident and investigation, but was later reopened.

Also assisting troopers at the scene were the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Van Wert EMS squad, Scott EMS and Fire, Grover Hill EMS and fire, and Gideon’s Towing and Recovery.

The Patrol encourages drivers and passengers to always wear their seat belts and never drive distracted or impaired.