MAN DOZES OFF BEHIND THE WHEEL

DRIVES OFF ROAD – SHEARS POLE

Carlisle Township – One man was taken to the hospital early Saturday morning after he crashed his car on LaGrange Road near Fox’s Veterinary Clinic.

Trooper Dave Dylag of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said that Richard Hogan of Elyria was traveling north on LaGrange Road when he fell asleep at the wheel. “Mr. Hogan said that he had very little sleep before driving and believes he just dozed off while driving. We did test him for alcohol but test showed zero alcohol in his system.”

Danielle Schuster and Bryant Ross, both from Elyria, were behind Hogan when the crash occurred. “We could see his headlights,” Schuster said, “then all of a sudden they were gone. By the time we got up here he was in the front yard and the pole was hanging there bouncing.”

Ross said that while Schuster called 9-1-1 he ran to the car, not knowing what he might see and expecting the worse. “With a crash like that with the pole cut in half and hanging there I wasn’t sure what condition he would be in but by the time I got to his car he was getting out on his own. He was talking to us but there was blood all over his face and in the car and I saw a big hole in the windshield so I just kept telling him to relax and sit down that help was on the way.”

Shuster said she asked him if he had been drinking and he said no. “He just said that he fell asleep but didn’t remember anything beyond that.”

Trooper J.P. Toth of the State Patrol administered a BAC test in the back of the ambulance and it came up zero. Toth did say that Hogan would be charged with Failure to Control and Seat Belt.

Hogan was transported to Elyria Memorial Hospital with injuries to his head.


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