Driver Cited After Two-Vehicle Crash, Flees Scene on SR 603
Franklin Township — The Richland Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, along with Franklin Township Fire Department & EMS, responded to a two-vehicle crash Thursday evening in the 1400 block of State Route 603. The incident occurred at approximately 5:53 p.m. on December 4, 2025.
According to troopers, a 2012 Mazda 3 driven by Anthony Howell, 38, of Shiloh, was traveling southbound on SR 603 with two juvenile passengers when it approached a rollback tow truck from Terry’s Towing that was backing into a driveway. Howell reportedly swerved to avoid the truck, causing his vehicle to veer off the right side of the roadway.
The Mazda then struck the rear of Terry’s Towing truck, collided with a tree, and ricocheted back onto the roadway. The vehicle overturned after striking a northbound 2005 Ford Freestar driven by Mary Ponchel, 51, of Greenwich. The Mazda came to rest on its driver’s side in the middle of the highway.
A witness told authorities that Howell climbed out through the windshield with blood visible on his head, shouting that the tow truck was “trying to kill him on his birthday.” Howell and the two juvenile passengers — one male and one female — then fled the scene on foot before troopers arrived.
Investigators later determined the license plate displayed on the Mazda did not match the vehicle, while the VIN confirmed Howell as the driver. State Route 603 was temporarily closed for about one hour while crews cleared the crash site.
Howell was later located at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries. Both juveniles and Ponchel also sustained minor injuries.
Troopers issued Howell multiple charges, including:
Leaving the Scene of an Accident
Assured Clear Distance Ahead (ACDA)
Failure to Display Valid Registration
No Proof of Insurance
The crash remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
