Amateur golf champ, local coach Diana Schwab killed in I-70 crash

A Beavercreek woman prominent in athletics and education was killed and an Urbana man escaped injury in a five-vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Interstate 70 in western Franklin County.

Diana L. Schwab, 71, of Beavercreek, and 48-year-old Robin S. Jones of London died at the scene, in the eastbound lanes of I-70 in Prairie Twp., the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department said. The crash happened at about 9:08 a.m.

According to the preliminary investigation, a 2006 Freightliner truck driven by Tony D. Smith, of Chicago, clipped the passenger side-view mirror of a Jeep Liberty driven by Michael A. Monroe, 38, of Urbana, before striking a 2003 Toyota Camry and a 2007 Pontiac Vibe.

The Freightliner also struck a 2005 Volvo semitrailer driven by Fredrick Shilo, of Georgia, causing it to strike a 2011 Nissan Cube in the rear.

Schwab was driving the Camry and Jones was driving the Vibe.

Smith was taken to Mount Carmel West Hospital suffering from non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the Nissan, J. Tara Wimble, of London, was taken to Mount Carmel West Hospital suffering from non-life threatening injuries. Monroe and Shilo were not injured.

The crash closed the interstate for several hours. Fuel was spilled as a result of the crash, which remains under investigation.

Schwab, who has a daughter who lives in the Columbus area, was a physical education teacher for many years in the Kettering School System. She coached field hockey, basketball, volleyball, softball, tennis and boys and girls golf. She also coached the boys golf team at Fairmont High School.

Kettering Superintendent Jim Schoenlein said Schwab, who retired about 15 years ago, was very popular in the Kettering community.

“She was a teacher, coach and a great golfer,” he said.

Her list of accomplishments includes winning 14 City Women’s Amateur Golf Championships, medaling in the first USGA National Women’s Public Links Championship, finishing as runner-up in the second USGA National Women’s Public Links Championship, and twice winning the Women’s Ohio State Golf Association Championship.

Schwab in 1982 was elected to Dayton Amateur Golf Hall of Fame and served as regional affairs representative for USGA.

She also started the Dayton District Women’s Golf Association in 1991 and was instrumental in founding the Ohio Women’s Golf Association in 1979.

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