HOWLAND Girard driver charged after Route 82 crash

A traffic fatality occurred at the intersection in late August.
HOWLAND -- The Ohio State Highway Patrol charged a Girard man with failure to control and driving under the influence after an accident on state Route 82 just west of state Route 11 near Howland-Wilson Road that delayed traffic for hours on the busy highway.
It is the latest accident in an area that has come under increased scrutiny by Trumbull County officials.
The flatbed truck and trailer flipped over about 4:35 p.m., spilling the steel coil it was carrying onto the ground, blocking the eastbound lanes and backing up Friday afternoon rush hour traffic on Route 82.
Trooper Larry Skaggs of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the highway reopened to traffic at 9:15 p.m. Ohio Department of Transportation crews had to patch holes in the pavement caused by the steel coil before traffic was permitted.
The driver, Kevin Titus, 41, of Girard, is in guarded condition at St. Elizabeth Health Center. He was first taken to Trumbull Memorial Hospital.
He was attempting to avoid a crash with a motorist who changed lanes abruptly in front of the truck. Titus swerved and lost control, which caused his load to shift, the highway patrol said. The patrol is looking for the driver who cut off the truck and fled the scene in a black vehicle.
Aug. 26 crash
Vickie L. Dietrich, 50, of Poland, died Aug. 26 when her vehicle was truck from behind while she was waiting in an eastbound lane of Route 82 for the Howland-Wilson light to chance. At least 10 others were injured in the six-vehicle pileup.
The Trumbull County Planning Commission wants speed limits to be lowered on Route 82 in the township until permanent improvements can be made. The speed limit now is 55 mph.