Traffic Travis | County Fatalities The Same As Last Year

By KELLY PETRYSZYN
kpetryszyn@MorningJournal.com
@MJ_KPetryszyn

ELYRIA - Lorain County’s 22 traffic fatalities in 2011 was the same number as in 2010, according to Travis Hughes, commander of the Elyria Highway Patrol Post.

It is a good thing the troopers were able to keep fatalities at the same number, because they have less troopers on patrol. "It’s positive," he said. "It shows me their working harder."

Overall, Ohio had 970 fatalities in 2011, with 49 still being investigated, and 1,080 fatalities in 2010. In 2009, Ohio had 1,022 fatalities, the lowest total since record keeping began in 1936, according to the Highway Patrol.

Of the fatal crashes in Lorain County in 2011, drugs and alcohol were a factor in 10 and were involved in five deaths in 2010. There were no fatal crashes in the county during the New Year’s weekend, Hughes said. There was one serious accident where a minivan struck a garbage truck at the intersection of Lake Avenue and Lorain Boulevard, in Elyria, at 11 a.m. on Dec. 1, according to a previous story. The driver of the minivan, Karen E. Talabac, 41, of Cuyahoga Falls, was reported in critical condition at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland on Saturday night.

There were three fatalities in the county over the Christmas holiday. Karen Westphal, 40, of North Ridgeville, and Chris Blahnik, 39, of Westlake were killed when their car went off of Bagley Road and struck at tree at 2:20 a.m. on Christmas. Two others in the car went to the hospital. Also over that weekend, Gary Gordon, 71, of Warrensville Heights, was killed when he crossed a lane and hit a minivan head on U.S. 20 near SR 58 at 3:46 p.m. on Dec. 26. The driver of the minivan and five passengers were all treated for minor injuries.

During the Thanksgiving weekend, 20-year-old Travis Parker, of Litchfield, was killed when his car spun out of control at 9 a.m. on Nov. 27 on SR 83 in Grafton Township, striking another car.

Over the past year, the number of troopers at the Elyria post has decreased from 21 to 14, with seven gone because of retirement or moving to another post. The positions have not been filled. Hughes said the post will get one more trooper in June 2012 to make up for the loss. Troopers logged 10 percent less hours in 2011 than in 2010.

"The problem is not exclusive to us," he said. "Many departments are shorthanded. We have to do more with less."

The OSHP identifies which roadways are most dangerous and dispatches troopers accordingly. In Lorain County, U.S. 20, SR 58 and SR 57 are among the highest crash highways. State Route 57 is the most dangerous of the three and the most alcohol related crashes. Hughes attributes the high rate of crashes to the fact that it is a main thoroughfare between Lorain and Elyria.

As the snowfall progresses this winter, Hughes said the post is preparing to see more crashes. Continued...

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