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Warren patrolman, two other drivers, injured in rear-end collision involving four cars
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Three people, including a Warren police officer, were treated at local hospitals after their cars were involved in an early-morning crash Tuesday on Summit Street Northwest.
A report states one of the three is Chelsie N. Spelich, 20, of Rosegarden Drive in Howland, whose car hit the back of the Ford Explorer cruiser of Patrolman Christopher Martin at 7:40 a.m., pushing his vehicle into one in front of him, which led to two other vehicles in front also being involved.
The three cars hit from behind were stopped at the traffic light on Summit Street near Tod Avenue Northwest. Spelich’s car was the fourth car.
Sgt. Patrick Abel of the Southington Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash, said Martin, 47, Spelich and another driver suffered minor injuries. A fourth driver indicated she had no injuries.
Spelich, who also has an address in Summerville, S.C., was charged with failure to stop after an accident, operating a motor vehicle intoxicated and failure to maintain assured clear distance, the highway patrol said.
The failure-to-stop charge resulted from Spelich leaving the scene after the crash, Abel said, adding that alcohol and drugs are believed to be a contributing factor in the crash.
Warren police officers found her car crashed into a fence at the dead end of Pacific Place Northwest, a short distance away from the original crash scene.
A witness to the accident involving the cruiser said he followed Spelich’s car as it left the scene and saw her crash into the fence on Pacific Place.
A Warren police officer said when he arrived at Pacific Place, Spelich was trying to put her shoes on and appeared to be “extremely intoxicated.” He said Spelich “could not put her shoes on because she was swaying back and forth,” the report says. The officer also smelled alcohol coming from her, he said.
Spelich appeared to be living out of her car, the officer said, because she had a pillow and blanket on the back seat. The officer found a marijuana pipe in a makeup purse in the car that appeared to have marijuana residue in it, he said, adding that she would also be charged with possessing drug paraphernalia.
Spelich was taken to ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital for treatment after the accident for unknown medical reasons, Warren police and the highway patrol said.
All four vehicles were westbound on Summit at the time of the crash. Spelich’s car apparently changed direction and headed east on Summit after the crash, Warren police said.
The two other vehicles involved in the initial crash were a 2008 Lincoln MKZ and 2010 Dodge Caravan. Spelich was driving a 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass.
The driver of the MKZ was Giorgio Vescera, 39, of Warren, who was treated at the scene; and the driver of the Caravan was Jennifer Jones, 41, of Warren, who said she had no injuries.