ELYRIA TWP., Ohio — A Lorain County family says their homemade safety measures helped stop a suspected drunk driver from barreling into their home. But after persistent crashes in their Elyria Township property, the latest close call has them calling for help from local leaders.
Earlier this month, a suspected drunk driver flew off a curve of West Ridge Road, near Old West Ridge Road, down a nearby hay field and into the corner of a large wall on Linda and Bryan Baus’s property.
“Somehow, he spun around and just kept coming backwards. So if he would’ve stayed forward and missed this, he definitely would’ve went through my front window,” said Linda Baus, pointing out the path between the wall and trees that leads to the front of the house.
A report from the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office said the driver had more than 10 active suspensions and was arrested for OVI, resisting arrest and felony intimidation after attempting to leave the scene and threatening a deputy.
Linda said she was sitting directly in front of the picture window around 5 a.m. Oct. 18 when the car crashed onto the property. She said the family enjoyed six months of relative quiet while the road was closed for construction. It had reopened just one week prior to the crash.
“You have no peace of mind, not anymore. The little bit of [peace of] mind I had is kind of going away,” she said.
The wall that stopped the latest driver was built last fall by Bryan Baus. The family had local artists paint a forest mural across the 80-foot-long, 9-foot-tall brick structure. But the piece of art was specifically created as a barrier between West Ridge Rd. and the couple’s house.
It replaced a pair of construction dumpsters placed there after two crashes in less than two months.
“I just don’t want it to happen any more, that’s all,” Linda said.
In June 2024, Bryan Baus spoke to News 5 after a 46-year-old woman drove off the road and straight into the side of the couple’s house. She died in the crash.
RELATED: 46-year-old woman dies after crashing car into Elyria Township home
Weeks later, another vehicle landed dangerously close yet again.
The family spoke to News 5’s Clay LePard about their frustrations.
RELATED: Twice in 2 months! Another car crashes onto Lorain County property
Following News 5’s reporting, the county installed a series of reflective arrows along the curve on West Ridge Road. The Baus family said they were grateful, but the latest crash is reigniting their concerns over safety.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel, I just don’t know,” Linda said. “We just need a guardrail because I don’t think this wall is enough.”
On Tuesday, she hand-painted four signs and placed them along the curve in West Ridge Road. One says “Lorain County Engineers,” followed by “Elyria Twp. Trustees,” “We need a guardrail,” and “Please help us!”
“I put these signs up, thinking hopefully people would see them and maybe it’d get people talking,” she said.
The county engineer was not available for an interview Wednesday, but told News 5 over the phone that a guardrail was likely not feasible at that location. He said the measure could do more harm than good.
In July 2024, Bob Klaiber explained, "The guardrail cannot become more of a hazard than what the vehicle may hit when it leaves the road. In this case, the clear zone indicates that guard rail is not warranted."
He also pointed out that many of the crashes were caused by impaired drivers.
"The sad thing we see in a lot of these cases is probably 90% of the time in Lorain County, these fatalities or bad accidents it’s drug or alcohol related," Klaiber said in 2024. "That’s what worries me the most. As engineers, we can’t engineer against people using bad judgment."
On Wednesday, the engineer’s office said it was in the middle of a three-week monitoring period on the road. The data collected from a speed tracker could inform whether there is a systemic problem. Possible solutions could include new pavement markings, LED-lighted signs or tactile road features, like rumble strips.
Meanwhile, the Baus family said they’re growing uneasy in their own home.
“The bottomline is - look at what the problem is here. Look at the overall problem. This is why we want it,” Linda said. “I just don’t want this to happen anymore, to anybody.”
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
