2-vehicle crash kills passenger in ambulance

A woman died Wednesday afternoon in Champaign County in a crash involving a pickup truck and an ambulance traveling with a patient from Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus to a long-term-care facility.

Killed was Debra Lock, 61, of Kenton, who was accompanying a patient, Christopher Bopp, being transferred to a different medical facility, according to Bob Dionne, vice president of operations for MedCare Ambulance based in Columbus. Dionne didn't know the destination of the ambulance, but believed it was a nursing home.

The accident happened about 3:22 p.m. at Route 36 and Parkview Road, about five miles southwest of Marysville, according to the Champaign County sheriff's office. Lock was pronounced dead at the scene.

The ambulance, driven by emergency medical technician Jeremy Fetters, 23, of Plain City, was stopped at a stop sign on Parkview Road and entered the intersection, failing to yield the right of way to a pickup truck driven by Matthew Wallen, 21, of St. Paris, that was heading east on Route 36, the sheriff's department reported. Both vehicles overturned following the crash.

Both drivers were flown by medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, as was another MedCare EMT, Mark Stith, 23, and Bopp, whose age wasn't released, of Kenton.

The accident remains under investigation.