PAINESVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — New information from the Ohio State Highway Patrol about a wrong-way crash in Lake County that killed a Mentor man.
Lt. Larry Jones said a trooper had just wrapped up a traffic stop and was patrolling Route 2 when a wrong-way driver hit his cruiser head-on.
RELATED: 1 man dead, Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper injured in crash on Route 2
“A wrong-way driver got on the road from State Route 306 and was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes and struck our trooper head-on," Jones said.
The wrong-way driver, 61-year-old Jerry Alberico of Mentor, was killed in the crash. His Toyota caught fire after impact.
“He saw it at the last minute and didn't realize it was coming," Jones said.
The trooper has not returned to work but is expected to make a complete recovery.
“He sustained very serious injuries from the crash. He's been off work seeking medical care, but he's doing well," Jones said.
Jones said investigators believe the trooper's timing may have prevented an even greater tragedy.
“Depending on how you think about it, at the right place at the right time to prevent it from happening to someone else," Jones said.
Troopers are waiting for the medical examiner's report to answer some of the remaining questions about the crash.
