Victims of SUV, bus crash identified as Greenville, Ohio couple

ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - The Allen County Coroner’s office has identified the victims of a crash in eastern Allen County Saturday night as a Greenville, Ohio couple.

Stanley and Mary Hines, both 77 years old, died when their SUV crashed into a tour bus around 10:18 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Dawkins Road and State Road 101.

According to the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, a tour bus headed west on Dawkins Road and the Hines’ SUV was going south on SR 101. The SUV didn’t stop at a stop sign and T-boned the bus, catching fire.

Two people riding on the private tour bus suffered minor injuries.

Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries called the particular intersection dangerous, especially at night.

“We’ve had, every couple years, a fatality at [that] intersection,” Fries said. “It’s out in the wide open. There aren’t many lights around. If [drivers] are unfamiliar with the area a stop sign pops up and [they] miss it.”

Both of the Hines wore seatbelts. The coroner determined the fatalities to be accidental as a result of blunt force trauma.

The deaths are the 20th and 21st traffic fatalities for Fort Wayne and Allen County in 2011.

Authorities closed the intersection for about five hours while investigating the crash.

Drivers like Mary Eklund of Payne, Ohio who are familiar with the intersection complain of its safety.

“We’re almost afraid to drive through that intersection anymore,” Eklund said.

Tire tracks left by Saturday’s tragedy serve as another reminder of the danger, Eklund said she didn’t need. In November 2009, a friend of hers died in a crash at the same crossing .

After hearing of Saturday’s crash, Eklund said she planned to petition for a change at the intersection like a flashing warning light or sign.