WATERVILLE TOWNSHIP — A 16-year-old and his driving instructor died Monday after a collision with another vehicle.
According to Ohio State Highway Patrol 48-year-old Thomas P. Smith and 16-year-old Joseph A. Franks both died at the scene.
A website for Key Driving School lists Tom Smith as one of the company’s five licensed instructors.
On Monday night, Key Driving School posted a message to its Facebook page that read, “Please, Pray for the families that have been affected by this terrible tragedy. My heart cries out! Words cannot express the hurt I feel for those that are left to pick up the pieces.”
Investigators say that Franks’ Chevy Impala failed to stop at the intersection of Neopolis-Waterville Road & Heller Road around 2:30 p.m.
The teen’s vehicle was then hit, on the passenger side, by 48-year-old Kathleen Woods’ Dodge Caravan.
Smith was in the passenger seat of Frank’s vehicle at the time of the collision; both men and Mrs.. Woods were wearing their seatbelts.
Woods, of Swanton, was taken to St. Luke’s for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
WNWO has reached out to Franks’ high school for information as to whether counseling services will be available for Franks’ classmates on Tuesday.
The Evergreen High School has not returned our call for comment.