Defiance – The Defiance Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash that occurred on Hire Road, south of State Route 18 at the CSX railroad tracks in
Richland Township, Defiance County.
At approximately 9:25 AM, a 1999 Ford F-ISO pickup driven by Lewis Belcher, age 76 of Paulding, Ohio was southbound on Hire Road, when he stopped and then drove around the lowered crossing gates and was subsequently struck by a westbound CSX train. Mr. Belcher was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Defiance County Coroner’s office.
A passenger in the Belcher vehicle, Donna Fay Ramos, age 33 of Defiance was transported from the scene via air ambulance to S1. Vincent’s Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio.
Safety belts were in use at the time of the crash by both the driver and passenger. Assistance at the scene was provided by the Defiance County Sheriff’s Office, Defiance City Fire Department, Richland Township Fire and EMS and CSX Railroad personnel. The crash remains under investigation by the Defiance Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.