FATAL CRASH INVESTIGATION
- DCSO
- Apr 17, 2023
- 1 min read
On April 17, 2023 at approximately 1:01 PM Darke County Deputies along with Gettysburg Rescue, Gettysburg Fire Department and Bradford Rescue were dispatched to the intersection of Children’s Home Bradford Road and Auld Road in reference to a serious injury accident.
Preliminary investigation revealed a black 2014 Ford Escape driven by Larry A. Szilagyi, 69 of Bradford, Ohio was westbound on Auld Road at the posted stop sign. Szilagyi failed to yield the right of way to a northbound 2011 Ford Super Duty truck driven by Leesa L. Beanblossom, 62 of Bradford, Ohio. Beanblossom struck Szilagyi’s vehicle on the driver’s side causing both vehicles to travel off the roadway coming to rest in a field.
Mr. Szilagyi was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Szilagyi’s passenger/wife Nancy was transported to Upper Valley Hospital by Miami Valley Hospital’s mobile intensive care unit. Mrs. Szilagyi succumb to her injuries sustained in the accident. Leesa Beanblossom was transported to Wayne HealthCare, where she was treated and released.
The Darke County Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team and the Darke County Coroner’s office also responded to the scene for further investigation.
This Accident remains under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office.
This is a sobering reminder of how quickly everyday moments on the road can turn into serious emergencies. Credit is due to the responding deputies and rescue teams for their swift action in a dangerous situation like this. It also reinforces the importance of awareness and caution at intersections—much like in Slope Rider, where a single missed move can have serious consequences and staying alert is everything.