Tiffin man killed in Ohio 113 collision Friday
A Tiffin man was killed Friday morning when his vehicle went left of center on Ohio 113, just east of Prairie Road, and struck a semi head-on.
Matthew R. Gase, 37, of Tiffin, was pronounced dead at the scene by Huron County Coroner Dr. Jeffrey Harwood. His body was transported to the Foos and Foos Funeral Service by North Central EMS, which was also called to the scene, and later transferred to the Traunero Funeral Home in Tiffin.
Driver of the semi, David R. Knirk, 43, Shelby, Mich., was not injured. Both men were wearing seatbelts, according to the Norwalk Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash.
Officers said Gase was westbound about 7:55 a.m. Friday when he drove left of center and struck the eastbound semi head-on. Gase's 2000 Ford Contour went off the north side of the roadway and came to rest in a field. The semi traveled off the south side where it came to rest in a ditch.
Bellevue Firefighters were called to the scene. They used the Jaws of Life and hydraulic cutters to remove Gase from the wreckage. They also contained a diesel fuel spill, which dumped about five gallons of fuel, and spread absorbents over the spill. The fuel was running the motor used to cool the refrigerated trailer being pulled by Knirk.
There were no other passengers in either vehicle, officers said.
Ohio 113 was closed for about 1-1/2 hours with the Ohio Department of Transportation rerouting traffic to other local routes. Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Bellevue Fire Department and North Central EMS.
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