GRAFTON TWP. — Two people were killed in a fiery crash a little after midnight Thursday on state Route 57 in Grafton Township, and the road was closed the rest of the night as crews responded.

A pickup was traveling northbound on Route 57 near Highland Drive, just south of Grafton, when it went left of center, according to the Elyria post of the Ohio Highway Patrol. The truck was struck by a southbound semi, and both burst into flames.

The driver of the pickup, Donald E. Berg, 49, of Columbia Station, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the patrol. A passenger in his truck also died, but the passenger’s identity had not yet been confirmed late Thursday.

Photos of the two vehicles today at Dunlap’s Towing:

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The driver of the semi, William T. Bennett, 35, of Louisville, Ohio, a driver for Frito-Lay, was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Both vehicles were heavily damaged and were towed from the scene.
The driver of the semi was wearing a seat belt, but it is unknown if the two people in the pickup were.
It is unknown if alcohol was a factor, and the crash remains under investigation.
The Ohio Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Grafton Fire Department and EMS, Grafton Police Department, Lorain County coroner’s office, Ohio Department of Transportation and Dunlap’s Towing.
Thursday’s double-fatal crash in Grafton Township raised this year’s fatality total to 27 in 24 fatal accidents, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol. That’s down from 30 deaths in 29 crashes last year.

Contact Melissa Hebert at 329-7129 or mhebert@chroniclet.com.

Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.

Photos by CT Web editor Rona Proudfoot.

NEWARK — The Ohio State Highway Patrol is prepared for a typically busy New Year’s Eve of drunken driving cases.

Patrol statistics show the holiday brings three times more arrests for operating a vehicle while impaired than on an average day.

About 200 motorists were cited by troopers on each of the last three New Year’s Eves.

Patrol Sgt. Raymond Durant says it’s up to individual patrol posts to decide whether to have additional troopers on the roads Thursday night.

Troopers in Lorain County will be out in full force, according to Sgt. Charles Gullet of the Elyria post.

“We’ll be out in full force, aggressively looking OVI arrests, aggressive driving and any other violations violations,” he said.

The highway patrol says troopers have generally been making fewer drunken driving arrests this year. As of Dec. 23, citations statewide were down about 4.5 percent from 2008 levels.

ELYRIA — Firefighters are on the scene of a fatal house fire at 443 West River Road North in Elyria.

A 54-year-old man removed from the home is dead, according to Elyria Fire Chief Rich Benton. No other victims were found during a primary search of the home.

Benton said the man is believed to be Frank Sabol, and Frank Sabol is listed with the Lorain County auditor’s office as the owner and occupant of the home.

Listen to scanner audio traffic from the fire. (Clip is edited for length and content. Total elapsed time is about an hour and a half.)

The fire was fully involved when firefighters arrived. Flames could be seen shooting out of multiple windows and there was very heavy smoke.

Firefighters first reported they were mounting an offensive attack on the fire and had a search in progress for a person or persons believed to be in the home.

A person was taken out of the home all bundled up and on a stretcher and was placed in an ambulance, which did not immediately leave the scene.

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There is one person dead, according to Herb de la Porte, vice president of LifeCare.

After the person was removed from the home, firefighters reported they were “going defensive” on the fire, meaning they were no longer trying to save the house but simply trying to contain the fire. They later reported they were back in offensive mode.

Passers-by had attempted to rescue the person trapped in the home but said they could hear the person but couldn’t get to him or her.

Listen to an audio interview with Theresa Smith of Elyria, who tried to rescue the man.

Firefighters from Lorain, Sheffield and Avon were called in to assist.

A small dog the man owned is missing. It is not known whether the dog died in the fire or ran away.

The fire was reported about 11:30 a.m. At 1:15 p.m. firefighters reported the fire was under control but that they would remain on the scene.

West River Road North is closed to traffic while firefighters fight the fire.

Check back at Chroniclet.com for more on this story as it becomes available.

View Elyria fatal fire in a larger map

Photos by CT Photo Chief Bruce Bishop. Purchase a print.

EATON TWP. — No one was hurt when an SUV flipped an hit a telephone pole near the Grafton Correction Institution on state Route 83 in Eaton Township this morning, according to Eaton Township firefighters and the State Highway Patrol.

The one-car accident was on 83 south of the railroad tracks, according to dispatchers.

First responders reported that they arrived on scene at 7:34 a.m. to find the SUV had hit a telephone pole and come to rest on its roof.

Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.