The driver of one of the vehicles involved in a crash May 26 in Yankee Lake that sent eight people to hospitals has been convicted of minor misdemeanor traffic offenses.
Ronald K. Jones, 48, of Sharon, was charged by Ohio Highway Patrol with failing to keep the assured clear distance between vehicles and failing to restrain a child. He pleaded no contest July 18 in Trumbull County Eastern District Court, and was found guilty by Judge Mary Nosich, who sentenced Jones at a $75 fine.
Taken to hospitals from Jones’ vehicle were: Jones; Alexis Culp, 29, of Sharon; Nicholas Tarr, 4, of Sharon; Tyler Jones, 20, of Bellevue, Mich.; Eliza Tarr, 9, of Sharon; and Phoebe Bigelow, 20, of Bellevue.
James A. Gigax, 41 of Youngstown, was driving the other vehicle. Police said he and a passenger, Ian J. Gigax, 18, of Youngstown, were taken to hospitals.
Both vehicles were northbound on Route 7 when Gigax stopped his pickup to turn left onto Youngstown Conneaut Road, police said. Jones’ Jeep ran into the rear of the pickup, pushing the pickup into a guardrail, police said. The Jeep was traveling an estimated 55 mph at the time of impact, police said.
Eliza was in the cargo area of the Jeep and was not restrained, police said. Nicholas was the only occupant of the Jeep to be restrained, police said.
Emergency medical personnel from Brookfield, Johnston, Fowler and Cortland transported the injured to hospitals, police said.
Brookfield Fire Department said ambulances from Liberty, Hubbard, Howland and Burghill Vernon also responded, the result of a county mass casualty declaration by the incident commander, the department said.
