Two Vickery residents among three killed in Thursday morning wreck near Republic

REPUBLIC – Three people, including two Vickery residents, were killed in a three-vehicle crash in Seneca County's Scipio Township on Thursday morning, according to a news release from the Norwalk post of the Ohio Highway Patrol.

The crash happened at 10:53 a.m. Thursday northeast of Republic, on Ohio 18 at County Road 24. The patrol's preliminary investigation indicates a Ram Promaster, operated by David Gaertner, 57, Jenera, was traveling westbound on County Road 24. Gaertner failed to stop at a stop sign at Ohio 18 and struck a northeast-bound Ford F-250, operated by Richard Miller, 67, Sandusky, according to the news release.

A southwest-bound Freightliner tractor-trailer, operated by Aaron Knoll, 42, Tampa, Fla., then struck the F-250 and the Promaster. The F-250 and the Freightliner continued off the southwest corner of the intersection, where both vehicles overturned. The Freightliner struck a utility pole and the F-250 caught fire.

Richard Miller and his passengers, Joseph Miller, 41, and Conner Miller, 13, both of Vickery, suffered fatal injuries at the scene, according to the patrol's news release. Gaertner suffered serious injuries and was transported by air ambulance to Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center. Knoll suffered serious injuries and was transported by ambulance to Mercy Health – Tiffin Hospital.

The patrol was assisted at the scene by the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office, Seneca County EMS, Mercy Health Life Flight, Scipio-Republic Fire Department, John’s Welding & Towing, Seneca County Coroner’s Office and the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The incident remains under investigation.