Mayor: Harveysburg police officer’s death big loss

Capt. Steven Bucholtz, killed in U.S. 40 wreck, was headed home.

UPDATE @ 10:44 p.m. (Sept. 10): Harveysburg Police Capt. Steven Bucholtz, killed in Wednesday's three-vehicle accident on U.S. 40 at North Lake Road, is a big loss for the small Warren County community, village Mayor Richard Verga said.

Bucholtz joined the force in 2002. He was interim police chief at the end of 2014 when then-Chief Rick Couch was fired after two months on the job.

“He was a real good guy to work with,” current Police Chief Richard Pottenger said, noting that Bucholtz also had a pilot’s license and enjoyed boating.

Bucholtz was also assigned as security chief for the Ohio Renaissance Fair, an annual Harveysburg event. It was there that he met his wife Cheryl, who works as vice president of marketing for the fair.

Verga said Bucholtz’s “day job” was working for the city of Riverside. He was heading home from there when the collision occurred.

UPDATE @ 10:55 p.m. (Sept. 9)

Steven Bucholtz, 45, of New Carlisle and a captain with the Harveysburg Police Department in Warren County, was the fatality in the three-vehicle accident on U.S. 40 at North Lake Road, the state patrol said.

He was driving the 2005 Toyota Rav4 that was headed east on U.S. 40 in the accident just west of Medway-Carlisle Road, the state patrol said.

Robert Anderson, 20, of Englewood, refused treatment at the scene. He was headed west on U.S. 40, driving a Chevy Silverado pickup that struck a Dodge Caliber driven by Larry Campbell, 63, also of New Carlisle.

Anderson went left of center and hit the Bucholtz vehicle head on.

Campbell suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Miami Valley Hospital. His wife and passenger, Donna Campbell, 59, refused treatment at the scene.

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

UPDATE @ 8:20 p.m.:

The three-vehicle accident on West National Road at North Lake Road that left one man dead and another driver injured has been cleared, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

The name and age of the fatality has not been released as the investigation continues into the accident that occurred just west of Medway-Carlisle Road, according to troopers at the Springfield post.

UPDATE @ 5:33 p.m.

A man was killed in a three-vehicle crash on West National Road in Bethel Twp. Wednesday evening.

The collision occurred shortly after 4 p.m. just west of Medway-Carlisle Road and involved a Toyota Rav4, a red pickup truck and a silver car.

The driver of the Toyota, a man in his 40s, died at the scene, according to Bethel Twp. Fire Capt. Brian Ludwick, His identity will be released after next of kin is contacted, officials said.

The driver of the silver car was also injured and taken to Miami Valley Hospital. The driver of the truck was not injured and was able to walk away from the accident. The truck and the Rav4 were heavily damaged in what appeared to be a head-on collision.

The accident occurred when the red pickup truck, headed weat on U.S. 40, rear-ended the silver car and went left of center and into the path of the Rav4, said Lt. Brian Aller, commander of the Ohio Highway Patrol post at Springfield.Officials don’t suspect that alcohol was a factor in the accident, but they’ll conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause, Aller said.

UPDATE @5:09 p.m.

The person who died is a male in his 40s, according to Bethel Twp. Fire Capt. Brian Ludwick. One other person who was in a silver car that was involved was taken to Miami Valley Hospital.

The driver in the red truck walked away from the crash and was OK, Ludwick said.

UPDATE @ 4:50 p.m.

One person was killed in a three-vehicle crash, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol. At least two vehicles were heavily damaged in what appeared to be a head-on collision.

West National Road was closed while the highway patrol investigates.

FIRST REPORT

Deputies in Clark County are on scene of a serious crash in the 10,000 block of West National Road near New Carlisle.

Crews were dispatched shortly after 4 p.m.

Scanner traffic indicated up to three vehicles were involved and traffic was backing up in the area.

We’re headed to the scene and will bring you updates on this developing story.