Former resident killed in crash

FREMONT -- A longtime Bellevue resident, the Rev. Karen J. Church, was killed Friday morning in a two vehicle traffic crash which occurred at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Ohio 51 in Woodville Township.

Fremont Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol reported that Rev. Church, 70, was southbound on St. Rt. 51 at 10:35 a.m. when she failed to stop for the stop sign at U.S. 20. She entered the intersection where her car was struck by a westbound asphalt truck operated by Patrick A. Brown, 50, of Norwalk, who was not injured in the crash.

Rev. Church, whose obituary appears on Page 2 today, was in the process of moving to Genoa. She had been a resident of Bellevue for many years where she was an accomplished pianist and music teacher and was a Republican precinct adjudicator.

It was reported the previous flashing light at the busy intersection has been replaced by a stop sign surrounded by red lights in preparation for the installation of a new traffic light.

The crash remains under investigation.