Man in fatal Bethel Twp. crash was New Carlisle resident

The victim in a fatal crash on U.S. 40 in Bethel Twp. Wednesday was a New Carlisle resident and well-known police captain in Harveysburg.

Steven Bucholtz, 45, was killed in a three-vehicle crash on West National Road at North Lake Road, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

Harveysburg Mayor Richard Verga called Bucholtz’s death a big loss for the small community.

Bucholtz began working as a police officer in the Warren County village in 2002 and worked his way up to the rank of captain. He filled in as interim police chief at the end of last year when former Chief Rick Couch was fired after two months on the job.

“He was a real good guy to work with,” said current Police Chief Richard Pottenger. “He’s been a tremendous help,” with the transition in leadership, he added.

Bucholtz was also assigned as Chief of Security for the Ohio Renaissance Fair, which takes place in Harveysburg each fall.

It was there that he met his wife Cheryl, who works as the vice president of marketing for the Fair.

In his spare time, Bucholtz was a Cessna pilot and enjoyed boating, Pottenger said.

His "day job" was working for the City of Riverside, Verga said. He was heading home from there Wednesday evening when the crash occurred.

Bucholtz was driving a 2005 Toyota Rav4 eastbound on U.S. 40 when a westbound Chevy Silverado driven by Robert Anderson struck a car in front of him and then when left of center. The pickup collided head-on with Bucholtz’s vehicle.

Anderson, 20, of Englewood, refused treatment at the scene, while the third driver, Larry Campbell, 63, also of New Carlisle, was taken to Miami Valley Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. His wife and passenger, Donna Campbell, 59, also refused treatment at the scene.

The accident shut down U.S. 40 for approximately three hours, the state patrol said.

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