Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers from the Marion Post are investigating a fatal crash that occurred, Monday, September 10 at around 1pm on State Route 98 at the U.S. 23 northbound off-ramp in Marion County. The crash involved a 2003 Cadillac DeVille driven by Richard Butler, 79, of Marion and a 1988 Mercury Cougar driven by Joseph Brown, 40, also of Marion.
Troopers say that Butler was northbound on the U.S. 23 exit ramp to SR 98. Brown was eastbound on SR 98. Butler pulled from the stop sign and made a left turn westbound onto SR 98. Butler and Brown's vehicles crashed head on. Butler's vehicle came to a stop in the middle of SR 98. Brown's car struck a guardrail on the north side of SR 98 and came to a stop in the middle of SR 98. According to investigators, both Butler and Brown were transported to Marion General Hospital with non life threatening injuries. Butler was later transported to Grant Medical Center in Columbus.
Butler's passenger, Richard Straub, 89, of Marion, was transported to Marion General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
No charges have been filed in the crash, which remains under investigation.