WRONG TURN PROVES COSTLY

Making a wrong turn while leaving a Strongsville bar proved costly for two Cleveland area men early Sunday morning.

Brandon A. Simmons of Cleveland Heights and Nicholas Kristek of North Royalton had finsihed up a night of drinking in Strongsville and apparently headed west on Route 82 instead of east and got lost.

Trooper Scott Roark of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said that while westbound on 82 in Eaton Township Simmons, behind the wheel, lost control of the car and crashed. “The car went off the right side of the road just east of Durkee Road. The vehicle went down into a ditch striking a culvert which launched them in the air and they struck a parked vehicle in the driveway, after striking the car they flipped a couple of times before they landed in the front yard of this house.”

Trooper Roark said that when he arrived Simmons got out of the car and approached him right away. “I asked him at that time if he was the driver, he said yes and that’s when I could smell the strong odor of alcohol coming off of him. I brought him back to my vehicle and asked him if he was ok and he said yes at which time I did a couple of sobriety tests and then placed him under arrest.”

Eaton Township Firefighters and Paramedics responded and were able to extricate the 22 year old Kristek without using any tools. Kristek was treated then transported to Elyria Memorial Hospital. The 23 year old Simmons, who was sitting handcuffed in the back of the patrol car said he didn’t believe he was injured but because of his intoxicated condition Firefighters were unable to let him sign off on scene so he was also transported to Elyria Memorial.

Fran Beatty and her husband were watching TV shortly before the crash. “I had just fallen asleep and then heard this loud noise, I thoght it was a loud crack of thunder or something at first. My mom came and knocked on our door and said you had better come see this. When we looked out the window though we could see their car in the front yard all smashed up.”

Beatty and her husband went outside and were able to see Simmons getting back into his car, then Beatty said that they saw her mother in laws car had been struck. “My mother in law lives in Elyria and we had just put this car out here two days ago to try and sell it.” Beatty said that since 1972 five other cars, some of their own and some belonging to frends, have encountered the same fate. “Over the years we have had family and friends ask to put their cars out here because of the high visibility but with this car being the sixth one to get smashed up Ithink people might stop asking.”

Trooper Roarke said that Simmons has been charged with the crash and for operating a vehicle intoxicated. When asked if more charges could follow Trooper Roarke said; “well, he doesn’t have a drivers license so that will be another one.”

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