By Colin McEwen
Record-Courier staff writer
Two people were killed and six others injured after a two-car collision on S.R. 5 in Charlestown, east of Ravenna, on Monday afternoon.
James J. Davis, 39, of Southington and Marilyn L. Hutson, 85, of Ravenna — passengers traveling in separate vehicles, were killed in the crash.
According to a press release by the Ravenna Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, a 1999 Pontiac Montana driven by Melody Hutson, 51, of Ravenna, was eastbound on S.R. 5, when she attempted to turn into the Countryside Estates mobile home park at 2 p.m.
The vehicle was struck on the passenger side by an Oldsmobile Delta 88 driven by Louise M. Davis, 33, of Southington. The vehicle was westbound.
Three LifeFlight helicopters carried three of the crash victims to Cleveland hospitals.
Passengers in the vehicle driven by Louise Davis were James J. Davis, who was killed; Billie R. Davis, 8, of Southington; Jenna M. Davis, 2, of Southington and Patricia A. Davis, 32, of Vienna.
Billie Davis, Jenna Davis and Louise Davis were transported to Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna with non-life threatening injuries. Patricia Davis was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Warren, with non-life threatening injuries.
Traveling in the Hutson vehicle were passenger Marilyn Hutson, who was killed. Passenger Julie L. Hutson Pugh, 43, of Ravenna was flown to Metro Health Center. Her condition was not known at press time.
The two vehicles involved in the crash were mangled nearly beyond recognition, with the impact of the crash turning each vehicle around completely in the westbound lane.
Twisted metal, broken glass and random items, including bags of groceries, lay strewn across S.R. 5.
Rescue workers from 11 area agencies were at the scene.
Traffic was closed to motorists on S.R. 5 from Knapp to Rock Spring roads until around 4 p.m.
A large crowd gathered near the entrance of Countryside Estates, where family and friends embraced each other in support of the victims.
Rob Weaver, a nearby resident, said he heard the crash from inside the home.
“It was loud,” he said. “I heard a crash, then a skidding from the tires. You’d expect it to be the other way around — hear the tires, then the crash.”
Crews from the Charlestown, Ravenna, Ravenna Township, Mantua-Shalersville, Streetsboro, Rootstown, Newton Falls, Paris, Edinburg fire departments were at the scene.
Also, the Ravenna Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol and the Portage County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash.
The crash remains under investigation and no charges have been filed.