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Warren firefighter, Vienna man killed in Trumbull County crashes
By Ed Runyan
SOUTHINGTON
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating two fatal accidents Thursday night, one of which killed Marc Titus, a 21-year Warren firefighter and president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 204.
Titus, 46, of Cortland, was killed when his motorcycle struck a semi tractor that was hauling a dump trailer that overturned in the northbound lane of state Route 11 after it struck the King-Graves Road overpass in Fowler Township.
The dump trailer hit the overpass because it was partially in the upright position, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which is investigating the accident.
Titus also was traveling northbound and struck the overturned tractor-trailer shortly after the accident, ejecting Titus, who was not wearing a helmet. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lt. Brian Holt, commander of the Southington post of the highway patrol, said it’s not known how long after the truck overturned that Titus approached the wreck — possibly a minute or two — and that darkness and lack of traffic may explain why he hit the truck.
The undercarriage of the truck was facing Titus, and that is the part he struck during the 11:22 p.m. accident, Holt said.
The dump trailer has a hydraulic lift, but it is not known yet why it was in an upward position or what type of job the driver had been on before the accident. The collision with the bridge did not damage the bridge, Holt said.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, James Black Jr., 49, of Sharon, Pa., was transported to ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries. He was in stable condition Friday morning.
It is unknown if alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in the accident, the highway patrol said.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, issued a statement Friday afternoon expressing his condolences to Titus’ family.
“I am saddened by the tragic death of my dear friend Mark Titus, and want to extend my condolences to Mark’s three daughters and to his mother and father.
“Mark will be missed by his fellow firefighters, those he worked with in Warren, and those from Youngstown and all of Ohio who worked side-by-side with him on the recent SB 5 initiative. Mark was a giver. He gave to his country, he gave to his community and, most importantly, he gave to his family.
“He spent his life sharing his talents. He led without ego, he built consensus, and his legacy is that he taught all that knew him that the highest calling in life is service to others.”
Titus had worked for the Warren Fire Department since April 1991.
The other accident occurred about 41/2 hours earlier in Vienna Township, about five miles south of the King-Graves Road accident.
Robert S. Jones, 42, of Vienna, died in a one- vehicle accident at 6:55 p.m. on Niles-Vienna Road just east of state Route 11 in Vienna Township.
Jones was transported to St. Elizabeth Health Center after the crash and died early Friday.
Jones was driving a 1996 Chevrolet Blazer nortbound when he failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle drove off the right side of the road and then off the left side. The vehicle struck a guard rail and overturned several times, causing significant damage to the vehicle. The vehicle also caught fire, which was extinguished by the Vienna Township Fire Department.
It is unknown whether alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in that accident, the highway patrol reported. Jones was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.