Two fatal crashes among Labor Day stats

The Ohio Highway Patrol on Sept. 6 released its 2017 Labor Day weekend statistics.

The Ohio Highway Patrol on Sept. 6 released its 2017 Labor Day weekend statistics.

The numbers include 24 fatal motor vehicle crashes, two of which happened in Geauga County, OHP reports.

On Sept. 1, Mary B. Miller, 77, of Middlefield, was traveling south in a 2002 Dodge Neon on state Route 528 in Middlefield Township. Logan M. Campbell, 20, of Middlefield, was traveling southbound in a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado behind the Dodge Neon on Route 528, an OHP media release states.

The Silverado attempted to pass the Dodge Neon on the left side. At the same time, the Dodge Neon attempted to make a left turn into a private driveway. The Chevrolet Silverado struck the Dodge Neon on the driver’s side. Both vehicles came to a final rest off the east side of Route 528. Miller later died at a hospital, according to the highway patrol.

The next day in Auburn Township, Haley Dreslinski, 17, of Streetsboro, was traveling west in a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt on Bartholomew Road. Susan Conover, 69, of Aurora, was traveling south on Munn Road in a 2007 Ram pickup truck. Witnesses say that the Cobalt stopped at the stop sign, then pulled out in front of the Ram pickup as it entered the intersection. The Cobalt was struck in the passenger side, and both vehicles traveled off the right side of Munn Road into the ditch, the patrol’s media release states.

Deborah Dreslinski, 63, of Streetsboro, was pronounced dead at the scene. She was the passenger of the Cobalt and the mother of the driver, Haley, the OHP statement reads.

Sgt. Daniel Kumor with the Chardon Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol on Sept. 6 said both incidents remain under investigation and no updates are available.

He said the two incidents, along with the state’s stepped-up holidayweekend enforcement, made for a busy weekend.

“This weekend was a bit tough for our post because we handled those two fatals,” he said.

According to the OHP’s Sept. 6 media release, the agency made more impaired driving, drug and seat belt violations across Ohio this Labor Day reporting period (beginning Sept. 1 at midnight through Sept. 4 at 11:59 p.m.) than it did in 2016.

“Troopers arrested 845 drivers for OVI and issued 6,171 safety belt citations, both increases over 2016,” the statement reads. “In addition, 24 people lost their lives over the weekend in 22 crashes — an increase when compared to 2016.”

The highway patrol reports alcohol was a contributing factor in at least four fatalities and that “11 people lost their lives by not using a seat belt or wearing a motorcycle helmet.”

All told, the patrol conducted 33,166 traffic enforcement stops, 17,789 non-enforcement stops and rendered assistance to motorists 3,543 times, the release states.

Kumor said that no one type of incident seemed to trend up or down significantly during the Labor Day weekend reporting period.

He did say, however, that crashes at intersections with stop signs have been on the rise in Geauga County in recent months, however.

“Just in Geauga County this year, more than 50 percent of the fatal crashes have been due to failure to yield at stop signs,” he said. “That’s what we’ve been seeing lately and we’re working to curb that.”

He said the increase in that type of crash has involved drivers of all ages.

As far as the agency’s holiday enforcement activity goes, Kumor said it increases its visibility and more aggressively pursues impaired-driving enforcement in order to raise awareness and keep motorists safe.

“We’re just asking people to be safe when they’re out on the roads (during long holiday weekends). We want to remind people to slow down, don’t drink and drive, wear their seat belts and just to be safe out there,” he said.

For a complete rundown of the Ohio Highway Patrol’s Labor Day weekend enforcement and other activity statistics, see its Sept. 6 Labor Day Holiday Recap.