PLANE CRASH IN FREMONT ~ 6 KILLED

FREMONT – The Ohio State Highway Patrol has responded to a fatal plane crash that occurred at approximately 1:00 p.m. today that killed six people in Sandusky County.

A single-engine 68 Cessna fixed-wing airplane departed to the east from the Fremont airport and for an unknown reason crashed shortly after take-off into a residential area on the west side of Fremont, south of Hayes Avenue, killing all on-board. There is no indication of any ground structures being impacted and no one on the ground was affected.

Killed in the crash were:
Gene Damschroder Sr., 86, of Fremont (pilot)
Bill Anstead, 62, of Lindsay
Allison Anstead, 23, of Lindsay
Daniel Gerwin, 31, of Gibsonburg
Emily Gerwin, 4, of Gibsonburg
Matt Clearman, 25, of Maumee

Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are en-route to the scene. The Fremont Police Department, Fremont Fire Department, Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office, Balleville Fire Department, and Clyde Fire Department Communications Center are also on-scene.

Damschroder served as a Republican State Representative from 1973 to 1983. He ran for State Representative again in 1984 and then for Sandusky Commissioner in 1990 – both attempts were unsuccessful. Damschroder was also the owner of Fremont Progress Field Airport; Steel Panel Building Company.