A Deshler woman, Victoria Schweitzer, 19, was killed Monday evening in a two-vehicle traffic crash that occurred in Auglaize County. The Ohio State Highway Patrol's Wapakoneta post reported that the fatal incident took place at approximately 6:38 p.m. at the intersection of Santa Fe New Knoxville Road and State Route 65. The collision resulted in Schweitzer's immediate death and serious injuries to a passenger in her vehicle, underscoring the severe impact of the crash.
According to the detailed report from the Wapakoneta post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash involved a 2018 Dodge Charger and a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The patrol's investigation indicated that Benjamin Pruyn, 26, of Marysville, was driving the 2018 Dodge Charger. He was traveling eastbound on Santa Fe New Knoxville Road and, as stated in the official report, failed to stop at a posted stop sign located at the critical junction with State Route 65.
At the time of the collision, Victoria Schweitzer was operating the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, traveling northbound on State Route 65. The Dodge Charger, after reportedly failing to yield at the stop sign, subsequently struck Schweitzer's vehicle. The force of the impact caused the Dodge Charger to veer significantly off the left side of the roadway. It then struck a stop sign before ultimately coming to rest in a cornfield adjacent to the intersection, as detailed by the state patrol's findings.
As a direct result of the crash, Victoria Schweitzer suffered fatal injuries. Emergency personnel who responded to the scene pronounced her deceased at the location of the accident, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Brian Boggs, an 18-year-old resident of Jackson Center, was a passenger in Schweitzer's Chevrolet Malibu. He sustained serious injuries in the crash and was promptly transported from the scene by ground ambulance to Lima Memorial Health System to receive urgent medical attention.
The other individuals involved in the collision experienced less severe outcomes. Benjamin Pruyn, the driver of the Dodge Charger, along with his passenger, Mia Mills, 18, also from Marysville, suffered minor injuries. The Ohio State Highway Patrol's report specified that neither Pruyn nor Mills required transportation from the crash scene for their injuries, indicating their condition did not necessitate immediate hospital care.
Multiple agencies from Auglaize County and surrounding areas were dispatched to the site of the serious accident to provide assistance and manage the scene. These responding agencies included personnel from the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, representatives from the Auglaize County coroner’s office, the St. John’s Fire Department, and St. John’s EMS. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Transportation and Nelson’s Towing were on hand to support operations and clear the vehicles from the roadway, the patrol noted.
