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1 dead, 1 seriously injured in Warren Township crash

WARREN TOWNSHIP — A Cortland man died and a Warren man was seriously injured in an early Tuesday morning head-on crash on state Route 45.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Chad Coffee, 43, of Cortland, was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu south on Route 45 at 1:35 a.m. when he traveled left of center and collided head-on with a 2017 Chevrolet Trax driven by Maurice Douglas, 48, of Warren.

Coffee was pronounced dead at the scene, while Douglas was initially transported by Champion’s EMS services to Insight Hospital & Medical Center at Trumbull. He was later taken by helicopter to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital because of the severity of his injuries, according to a news release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The release states that neither Douglas nor Coffee were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash, and speed and alcohol are believed to be factors.

The crash remains under investigation.

The patrol report states “the combination of high speeds with impaired driving presents extreme risks to everyone on the roadway. It is essential to prioritize your safety and that of others when operating a vehicle. Wearing your seatbelt while traveling can significantly reduce the likelihood of severe injuries or fatalities. No one’s life is worth jeopardizing.”

This was the 37th unbelted-related crash in Trumbull County in less than a month, according to the highway patrol’s Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety (OSTATS) public dashboard.

Out of those crashes, only three were suspected to involve serious injuries.

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