Crane Township – On April 14, 2021, at approximately 11:22 A.M., Troopers from the Van Wert Post responded to a report of an injury crash involving two commercial vehicles at the intersection of US 127 and County Road 176 in Crane Township, Paulding County.
A 2019 International LT 625 semi operated by Timothy Ray Webber, age 60, of Dayton, Ohio, was southbound on U.S. 127 and began to make a right turn onto County Road 176 when his commercial vehicle became stuck in low hanging telephone lines damaged in an earlier traffic crash.
Vance Owen Campbell, age 54, of Wauseon, Ohio observed Mr. Webber’s vehicle stopped and began to assist with the removal of the lines from Mr. Webber’s vehicle.
While working to remove the lines a 2020 Volvo VRN semi, operated by John Richard Reber, age 40, of Wauseon, Ohio, was southbound on U.S. 127 and struck the low hanging telephone lines. Mr. Campbell, who was standing on Mr. Webber’s trailer, was struck by the telephone lines and sustained fatal injuries.
The Van Wert Post was assisted by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Paulding Fire & EMS, Paulding County Emergency Management Agency, Paulding County Coroner’s Office, the Ohio Department of Transportation, John’s Towing and Repair, AEP, and Windstream.
The crash remains under investigation.
(Information courtesy of the Ohio Highway Patrol)