Families sue over crash that killed 4 teens

Associated Press

ELYRIA

Parents of three teens killed in a car crash near a railroad crossing have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against rail company CSX Transportation Inc. and local officials from the neighboring townships and counties.

The suit in Lorain County alleges officials didn’t properly maintain the crossing and road.

Investigators concluded the teens’ vehicle sped over the crossing at 69 mph, went airborne and crashed in Columbia Township in June 2012. The crash killed the 18-year-old driver and three of his passengers: 17-year-old Blake Bartchak, 16-year-old Lexi Poerner and 18-year-old Kevin Fox.