HARPSTER, Ohio -- A Pitt Township volunteer firefighter was killed Monday night when a fire truck ran off the road while responding to a vehicle fire.
Richard L. Kear, 58, of Harpster, was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.m. at Grant Memorial Hospital in Columbus, according to the Bucyrus post of the State Highway Patrol. He had been taken to the hospital from the accident scene by medical helicopter.
The patrol reported that Kear was driving the fire truck on Ohio 294, west of U.S. 23 in Pitt Township, at 8 p.m. when the truck traveled off the right side of the road and rolled over.
According to troopers, the other firefighter in the truck, Darrin Rowland of Harpster, crawled out of the wreckage and started first aid on Kear until an EMS crew arrived.
Rowland was later taken to Wyandot Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and released.
The firefighters were responding to a vehicle fire at a residence on County Highway 62 at the time of the accident.
The accident remains under investigation, according to the patrol.
Republished with permission of The Courier.
Visitation will be held from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, July 10 at Bringman Clark Funeral Home, Upper Sandusky. Funeral services are slated for 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.
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