Man dies from head injuries following crash
Seat belts not worn inside victim’s vehicle
GRANGER – An early morning crash Aug. 15 on state Route 18 near State Road sent two people to the hospital, one of whom who had serious head injuries and as a result, died Aug. 16.
According to Trooper Dan Kehoe, of the Medina Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, at 7:49 a.m. Michelle Thompson, 27, of Barberton, who was westbound on Route 18 in a 2012 Ford Fusion, was stopped at the traffic light at State Road. A second westbound vehicle, a 2004 Jeep Liberty, driven by Larry Butler, 46, of Kent, did not stop and hit the stopped car in a rear-end collision, shoving the stopped vehicle across State Road. The other vehicle went off the right side of the road into a wooded area and hit a tree. There was excessive damage to the rear of the stopped vehicle and the front end of the second vehicle.
Butler, who sustained severe head injuries, was transported to Akron General Medical Center by Granger Fire and Rescue, where he passed away the following day. His front-seat passenger, Courtney Slair, 29, of Akron, was transported to Akron General Health Center at Montrose. His back-seat passenger, Eric Gilbert, 35, of Medina, who had no reported injuries, was treated on scene.
Thompson was also treated at the scene. A family member arrived and took her to Wadsworth Hospital Emergency.
No one in the Jeep was wearing a seat belt, the trooper said, noting that Thompson was using one.
According to Trooper Dan Kehoe, of the Medina Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, at 7:49 a.m. Michelle Thompson, 27, of Barberton, who was westbound on Route 18 in a 2012 Ford Fusion, was stopped at the traffic light at State Road. A second westbound vehicle, a 2004 Jeep Liberty, driven by Larry Butler, 46, of Kent, did not stop and hit the stopped car in a rear-end collision, shoving the stopped vehicle across State Road. The other vehicle went off the right side of the road into a wooded area and hit a tree. There was excessive damage to the rear of the stopped vehicle and the front end of the second vehicle.
Butler, who sustained severe head injuries, was transported to Akron General Medical Center by Granger Fire and Rescue, where he passed away the following day. His front-seat passenger, Courtney Slair, 29, of Akron, was transported to Akron General Health Center at Montrose. His back-seat passenger, Eric Gilbert, 35, of Medina, who had no reported injuries, was treated on scene.
Thompson was also treated at the scene. A family member arrived and took her to Wadsworth Hospital Emergency.
No one in the Jeep was wearing a seat belt, the trooper said, noting that Thompson was using one.
