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Garfield Heights woman killed, husband seriously hurt after SUV catches fire

Posted at 12:41 PM, May 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-27 12:09:41-04

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that left a Garfield Heights woman dead and her husband seriously hurt.

It happened on Friday around 4:15 p.m. on State Route 2, just west of the State Route 269 Lakeside - Marblehead exit in Danbury Township of Ottawa County.

According to troopers, 65-year-old Jo Ann Svihlik was driving when her 2005 Chevy Trailblazer caught fire. Seconds later the SUV was fully engulfed in flames. Her husband, who was in the passenger seat, managed to exit the burning vehicle while it was still moving and fell onto the roadway.

Svihlik was unable to escape and pronounced dead at the scene. 

Her 71-year-old husband suffered life threatening injuries and was flown to MetroHealth in Cleveland.

The area remained closed for more than three hours as a result of the crash. 

UPDATE: On Sunday, the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that Dennis Svihlik, who was the passenger in the vehicle, passed away at the hospital.