There was a three-vehicle rollover crash in Findlay on Wednesday afternoon.
The crash happened at the intersection of Bolton Street and Madison Avenue, a block north of Trenton Avenue, at around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.
An SUV overturned, while a pickup and car also sustained damage and remained upright.
Police told WFIN on the scene, that while some of the occupants were shaken up, it didn’t appear that anyone would have to be transported to the hospital.
Travel over the Memorial Day holiday will be up significantly compared to last year when the COVID pandemic was peaking.
AAA Ohio predicts that between Thursday, May 27th and Monday, May 31st, more than 1.7 million Ohioans will travel at least 50 miles from home.
That’s a 57 percent increase from last year.
More than 95 percent of these travelers will drive to their destinations.
As part of the Click it or Ticket campaign and the 6-State Trooper Project, safety belt usage will be a primary focus of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
Bob LaRiche is selling his LaRiche Toyota-Subaru dealership.
Bob says they’ve been a Toyota dealer for 33 years and a Subaru dealer for 39 years at the corner of Tiffin Avenue and Plaza Street and his dad started there with a Volkswagen store in the mid 60s.
“So this corner has been a LaRiche corner for many, many years…pretty cool.”
Bob says he and his wife, Tiare, decided it was time to sell the dealership and retire.
“You always say, hey what are we gonna do someday, or let’s do this someday — well, my wife and I decided, it is someday now.”
Bob says, while they plan to spend more time on Lake Erie they will remain active in the community with volunteering projects.
“That’s been our saying, proudly invest in this community and my wife and I aren’t going to stop that by any means.”
He says they also have grandkids here that they plan on spending more time with.
Bob said, as exciting a time as this is, it’s also very bittersweet to see the LaRiche name come down after so many years.
The new owners will be the Great Lakes Auto Group of Akron.
Bob said the new owners will be retaining all the current employees and for customers it will be a seamless transition as it will remain a Toyota-Subaru dealership.
Bob said he thinks the new owners will really take the dealership to the next level with more inventory and a revamped service department.
Bob also said he’s excited to hear that the new owners will continue a lot of the charitable events that they’ve done over the years.
He says there will be a flurry of activity on Tuesday, June 1st as Great Lakes Auto Group takes over on that day.
Bob said he wants to thank the community for being loyal customers for so many years with repeat customers buying several cars from them over the years.
“That means we’re doing something right as a family and that makes us feel really good as a family.”
Bob pointed out that his brother John, who owns the Chevrolet-Cadillac store on East Main Cross isn’t going anywhere and that his store will keep “rockin’ and rollin” in downtown Findlay.
Bob said the greatest thing about his 35 years in the business is that it brought him together with his wife.
“That’s how I met my wife, I sold her a car 30 years ago, she came in and bought a car when I was selling cars for my brother John at the Chevy store and that’s how we met.”
The couple will be celebrating their 30th anniversary this year.
The Hancock Park District has installed a new dock system at Eastpoint Area.
The dock is open for public use and will make kayak launching onto the Blanchard River much easier at that location.
Eastpoint is located at the corner of East Main Cross Street and Bright Road.
Bradley Hertel commented on the park district’s Facebook page saying he was tickled to death about the new dock.
“If you have never dropped here, it’s a great float. Long way takes you through the country club and to the park, the short way is very scenic. Going west, long, east, short.”
Holly Copado asked if fishing will be permitted and the park district said yes.
Click here for more.
The Findlay Rotary Club has awarded its 2021 Richard E. “Dick” Daugherty Scholarship.
The scholarship is designated for students studying art, including graphic design, music, dance, theatre or speech (broadcasting).
Details are in the following news release from the Findlay Rotary Club.
Grant Ekstrom has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the Richard E. “Dick” Daugherty Scholarship. Ekstrom is a 2021 graduate of Findlay High School and the son of Alicia and Michael Ekstrom. He plans to attend the Ohio State University in the fall to pursue a degree in Finance/Economics, specializing in Actuarial Sciences and a minor in Vocal Music.
While in high school, Grant was active in the National Honor Society, Findlay Trojan Marching Band, Findlay First Edition, Voices in Perfection and also served as a Fusion Show Choir Mentor, Symphonic Choir Secretary and the Findlay Trojan Marching Band Librarian.
He has volunteered at the Findlay City Mission and MCPA Endowment Gala. Grant has also worked at Olive Garden.
The Richard E. “Dick” Daugherty Scholarship fund was endowed by The Findlay Publishing Company and the Findlay Rotary Club in 2004 in honor of Daugherty, who passed away in 2008. He had spent more than 50 years with the company. Daugherty had been recognized as “Mr. Findlay Rotary.” Dick was the first recipient of the Findlay Rotary Lifetime Achievement Award. The award has since been named the Richard E. Daugherty Lifetime Achievement Award. The Richard E. “Dick” Daugherty Scholarship is designated for students studying art, including graphic design, music, dance, theatre or speech (broadcasting).
Anyone wishing to contribute to The Richard E. “Dick” Daugherty Scholarship Fund may contact The Community Foundation at 101 West Sandusky Street, Suite 207 Findlay OH 45840 or call (419) 425-1100.
The Findlay Rotary Club was founded in 1920 and is a member of Rotary International, an association of Rotary clubs around the world, which today numbers almost 32,000 clubs in over 200 countries. The Rotary Club of Findlay was founded by the city’s leaders in 1920, and continues with the leaders of today. The club also sponsors the Rotaract Club at The University of Findlay and an Interact Club at Findlay High School.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal ATV crash in Putnam County.
The crash happened at approximately 9:37 Sunday night on County Road 19, south of Road L, in Jackson Township northwest of Kalida.
The Highway Patrol says Zachary Cassidy, 31, of New Bavaria, was driving north on County Road 19 in a 2017 Yamaha YXZ when he went off the right side of the road, over-corrected, and then went off the left side of the road and stuck a utility pole.
His ATV overturned and he was ejected from it.
Cassidy sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Highway Patrol said Cassidy was not wearing a safety restraint device and alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office will be stepping up seat belt enforcement during the Click it or Ticket campaign.
Click it or Ticket begins on Monday, May 24th and runs through Sunday, June 6th.
The sheriff’s office, along with other agencies, will be extra vigilant in making sure people wear their seat belt every time they travel.
The sheriff’s office says, while violating Ohio’s seat belt law remains a secondary violation, deputies continue to have a zero-tolerance enforcement effort when motorists are stopped for other violations and are found not to be wearing their seat belts.
“The national seat belt use rate in 2019 was 90.7%, which is good – but we can do better. The other 9.3% still need to be reminded that seat belts save lives,” the sheriff’s office said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019 there were 9,466 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States.
Currently in Findlay Municipal Court, the maximum penalty for a seat belt violation is $88.00 for the driver, $78.00 for a passenger and a child restraint violation is $150.00.
“The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office hopes everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer and always takes the time to buckle up!”
A two-vehicle crash at the intersection of North Main Street and Trenton Avenue in Findlay sent one person to the hospital.
The crash happened at 7:38 Friday night.
Police say Jason Drummelsmith, of Arlington, was driving north on North Main Street and ran a red light at Trenton Avenue.
His car collided with a car that was eastbound on Trenton Avenue and proceeding through the intersection with a green light.
Airbags in both cars deployed and the driver of the second car was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital with minor injuries.
Police say Drummelsmith was distracted by his cell phone.
He was issued a citation for running the red light, and the citation came with a distracted driving enhancement.
Families may be able to get some assistance in paying school fees from OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County.
OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County is taking applications for its School Fees Program.
Families at or below 150 percent FPL (Federal Poverty Level) with children in grades K-12 are potentially eligible for $300 per student (per school year) to be directly paid to the school for school fees.
People with a question or who want to apply should call 419-429-8083.
OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County is located at 7746 County Road 140 in Findlay.
In a related story, a youth service leadership program at Findlay High School is working to help ensure that seniors behind on their school fees still get their diploma. Read more about that by clicking here.
A woman was injured in a two-vehicle crash in Findlay.
It happened at the intersection of East Main Cross and Osborn Avenue at 11:16 Friday morning.
The Findlay Police Department says Shirley Woods, 84, of Arlington, was driving an SUV south on Osborn Avenue and failed to stop at the stop sign at the East Main Cross intersection.
Her SUV struck an SUV that was traveling west on East Main Cross, that had stopped for the stop sign and then entered the intersection.
The second SUV was struck on the right side and pushed onto its side, with the driver side against the street.
Police say the driver of the second SUV, Melonie Burner, 50, of Findlay, was trapped in the vehicle and had to be removed by firefighters.
Burner was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital.
Police issued the driver of the first SUV, Woods, a citation for failing to stop at the stop sign.