Fulton County Crash Kills Whole Family
WAUSEON, Ohio — According to Ohio State Highway Patrol, three children and two adults are dead after a crash late Saturday night on County Road 14 and County Road H in Clinton Township near Wauseon.
Police say Zane Hull, a 21-year-old Delta man, was driving eastbound on County Road H around 11:48 p.m. At the same time, 28-year-old Wauseon resident Muriel Michael was driving with four passengers, southbound on County Road 14. That’s when police say Hull failed to yield the right of way at the intersection and his vehicle struck Michael’s vehicle.
Two passengers in the Michael vehicle, Deklin Jankowski, 9, and Ms. Muriel’s fiancé, Xavier Brown, 25, were pronounced dead at the scene. Two more child passengers, Aurora Michael, 7, and Riggs Brown, 1, were flown by Life Flight to St.
Vincent’s Medical Center for serious injuries.
They succumbed to their injuries on Sunday, March 27.
Ms. Michael was also taken by Life Flight to Toledo Hospital with critical injuries, where she later died.
Hull was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
While the crash remains under investigation, it appears Mr. Hull is liable for the crash and deaths. believed not all of the passengers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol said the crash remains under investigation and they will refer the case to county officials for possible charges
Country Roads Have Risks
This accident highlights how important awareness and defensive driving are when out on country roads. Out in the country where road signs are few, and speed limits are frequently disregarded, it is critical that you are always aware of when and where other roads are crossing your path and what the posted signs may say as to the right of way.
Recoverable Damages
Failing to yield is one of the most common causes of Ohio car accidents. All too often, failure to yield accidents result in serious, life-altering injuries that can be both physically and economically devastating. The at-fault party and/or their insurer, can be liable for past and future
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
Where a death results, family members are also able to pursue:
- Lost income and financial support that the deceased would have provided had they lived
- The amount of prospective inheritance that was reduced because of an untimely death
- Loss of companionship, consortium, care, assistance suffered by surviving family members
- Mental anguish caused by the death to surviving family members
In Ohio, the individual who is named as the personal representative of the deceased individual’s estate is the party that must file the action.
Statute of Limitations for Negligence and Wrongful Death Claims in Ohio
Ohio statute’s set out specific time restrictions for filing claims in civil court. While there are several exceptions, the statute of limitations for negligence action in Ohio is generally two years from the date of the negligence. In a wrongful death claim, Ohio sets a two-year statute that generally runs from the date the victim died.
If a claim is filed beyond the statute of limitation period, the case will likely face dismissal and injured individual, or their family will no longer have the right to seek financial recovery.
Reach Out to Our Legal Team Today
Accidents such as these that involve families and children are the most tragic. These cases also can involve complicated facts and issues that need to be reviewed properly in order to maximize recovery.
Our team first and foremost has the compassion and the experience to work through these difficult cases. We also have the expertise to investigate and properly prepare the case in order to obtain maximum financial resolution through settlement or trial.
If you have been in an auto accident, or lost a loved one in an accident, please call our offices and talk with us to see how we can help you.
