A quiet rural intersection in Huron County turned deadly Friday afternoon when a 53-year-old man was killed in a two-vehicle collision at New State Road and Dublin Road in Bronson Township. Troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Norwalk Post responded to the scene and opened an investigation. The other driver suffered minor injuries, according to local reporting.
Crash details
According to Cleveland 19, the patrol said the crash occurred at about 4:28 p.m. A preliminary investigation found that Scott Wilkes, 53, of West Salem, was driving eastbound on Dublin Road and failed to stop at a stop sign at New State Road, where his Chevrolet Impala was struck by a southbound Chevrolet Silverado HD driven by 45-year-old Kyle Smialowski of Norwalk.
Cleveland 19 reported that the post said Wilkes was transported to Fisher Titus Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, while Smialowski sustained only minor injuries. The newsroom also reported that both drivers were wearing seat belts.
Where it happened
The intersection sits at a rural crossroads in Bronson Township, with New State Road and Dublin Road listed among the township's roads on its zoning page. Per Bronson Township, that stretch is a typical two-lane country roadway with limited shoulder and sightline constraints.
Investigation and safety context
Troopers from the Norwalk Post continue to investigate the collision, and authorities have not announced any charges. County engineers across Ohio have in recent years converted crash-prone rural intersections into four-way stops or roundabouts in an effort to improve safety, a tactic covered by the County Engineers Association of Ohio.
