SYLVANIA TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Donald Christian, 54, is in custody at the Lucas County Jail on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of aggravated vehicular assault after he struck two pedestrians on Saturday in Sylvania.
Therese Fern, 66, of Swanton, and 78-year-old Don Fern, also from Swanton, were killed.
"Since 2019 in Lucas County alone, there have been 686 pedestrian crashes, and 33 of those have ended up being fatal crashes," said Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Rustun Schack.
The risk continues to increase for pedestrians every year, he said. The best way to avoid tragedy is to be safe and defensive.
"Whether you're the pedestrian or in your car itself, know there are pedestrians on the road. Know if you're a pedestrian, cars can't always see you," Schack said. "Wear that reflective equipment, use those flashlights, do what you can do to be seen and just be extra vigilant when walking. Or if you're in the car, be extra vigilant when driving and watch out for pedestrians."
Local landscaper Tim Organ echoes the lieutenant.
Organ said with roads like Centennial Road, you have to be extra cautious.
"You don't know who's behind that wheel. You don't know if they're on their phone texting, so you do want to be extra cautious just before you do cross any busy road, especially Centennial," he said.
However, Organ didn't stop short of questioning whether city or county officials need to make safety-related changes to the intersection.
"I think maybe it falls a little on the city," he added. "Maybe there needs to be more cones and just crosswalk material. Maybe there needs to be more people on the ground patrolling traffic."
And he said with more pedestrians during the summer, everyone's safety should be the No. 1 priority.
"I guess when there is something like that going on, you want to make sure that that's your main priority in terms of safety and everything else around you just kind of comes secondary," Organ said.