GRAFTON MAN CAUSES CRASH – FACES FELONY CHARGES

 
Photos by BRIAN WOODS

Elyria – After a night of partying a Grafton man caused a multiple car crash in Elyria and now faces possible felony charges.

Police say 21 year old Chris Gerhart of Grafton was traveling south on Route 57 in his Ford F-150 early Sunday morning when he struck a car stopped at a traffic light at East Broad Street. That car, a Hyundai Santa Fe, was driven by 57 year old Thomas Martin of Elyria. The impact was so powerful it pushed Martin’s car into a Jeep Patriot driven by 41 year old Aaron Sherban of Elyria. Sherban’s Jeep was then pushed into a motorcycle driven by 31 year old Jeremy Harsa of Lorain. Harsa was able to jump from his bike before the collision.

LifeCare Paramedics and Elyria Firefighters treated all of the drivers at the scene but only Harsa and Martin were transported to Elyria Memorial Hospital for further treatment and evaluation.

Gerhart, whose face was covered in odd markings, told Police that he had been to a party the night before and had passed out. He said at that time his friends marked up his face and body.

Police say Gerhart failed a field sobriety test and was arrested for OVI. He later took a BAC test where he scored a .189.

Gerhart was charged with the following: Assured Cleared Distance, OVI – High Order BA, DUI, and Aggravated Vehicular Assault x two.

The case was assigned to Judge Locke Graves who released Gerhart on bond with the following condition.

Defendant's bond is condition that there be zero tolerance for use of alcohol and/or drugs. Defendant is ordered not to consume or possess any alcoholic beverages or drugs. Defendant is ordered not to enter any establishment whose primary purpose is the sale of alcohol. In addition, defendant, if able to post bond is not to be released until he is fitted with an alcohol sensor monitor.

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