MERCER COUNTY, Ohio (WLIO) - One person has died and another was injured after a crash in Mercer County on Friday.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office says that the crash happened just after 1:30 PM on US Route 33 just east of the Oregon Road intersection in Center Township. 97-year-old Donald Bair of Celina was driving a UTV down a farm lane. The sheriff's office says that Bair failed to yield for oncoming traffic on 33 and was struck by a van driven by 79-year-old Paul Knapke of Coldwater.
Bair was transported to Joint Township District Memorial Hospital and was pronounced deceased. Knapke was transported to Mercer Health for treatment. Adult passengers in Knapke's van were not injured. The crash remains under investigation.
October 3, 2025, Press Release from the Mercer County Sheriff's Office:
MERCER COUNTY, Ohio - Mercer County Sheriff Doug Timmerman reports that deputies are investigating a fatal traffic crash that occurred this afternoon, October 3rd, 2025. Mercer County Central Dispatch received a call at 1:32 PM of a crash on US RTE 33, just east of the Oregon Rd intersection in Center Township.
The investigation revealed that Donald Bair (97) of Celina was driving a Polaris Ranger UTV northbound down a farm lane. Bair failed to yield to oncoming traffic, continuing north across US RTE 33 into the path of a westbound 2019 white Chevrolet van, driven by Paul Knapke (79) of Coldwater.
Bair was transported by Celina EMS to Joint Township District Memorial Hospital in St. Mary’s where he was pronounced deceased. Knapke was transported by Celina EMS to Mercer Health in Coldwater for treatment. Knapke had several adult passengers in his vehicle, who did not require medical treatment.
Assisting at the scene were members of the Celina EMS, Celina Fire Department, Mendon Fire Department and MCERV.
The crash remains under investigation at this time and will be forwarded to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office for review. This would be the fifth fatal traffic crash in Mercer County for 2025.
