Three Killed, Four Injured in Knox County Crash
FREDERICKTOWN, Ohio — Three people were killed and four others were injured Tuesday afternoon when a passenger van and tractor-trailer collided in Knox County.
The two-vehicle crash occurred at approximately 12:33 p.m. Aug. 18 at the intersection of State Route 13 and Yankee Street in Berlin Township, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Mount Gilead Post.
A preliminary investigation found that a Ford T350 Transit van, driven by Gijs M. Odpam, 48, of the Netherlands, was traveling west on Yankee Street. Troopers said Odpam failed to yield at a stop sign before the van was struck in the intersection by a northbound Kenworth T680 tractor-trailer.
The tractor-trailer was driven by James S. Cline, 51, of Mount Vernon.
Seven people were traveling in the Ford Transit van. Three passengers suffered fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The victims were identified as:
- Arno Kramer, 55, of the Netherlands
- Martijn E. Van Vooren, 44, of the Netherlands
- Hermanus J. Fortuin, 55, of the Netherlands
Odpam and the van’s three remaining passengers were transported to area hospitals for treatment. The patrol did not release information regarding the extent of their injuries.
Assisting troopers at the scene were the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Fredericktown Fire/EMS, Mount Vernon Fire Department, Knox County Coroner’s Office, Ohio Department of Transportation, Mount Vernon Police Chaplain’s Association, Mike’s RV and Diesel Repair, and K & S Towing.
The crash remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
