CONTINENTAL, Ohio — A woman was killed Monday night when she failed to stop for a stop sign and collided with another vehicle, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

Erica Shafer, 32, of Continental, was southbound on Putnam County Road 21 around 8:25 p.m. when she failed to stop for the stop sign at State Rt. 15 in Monroe Township and struck an eastbound SUV driven by Kristen Stechschulte, 43, of Cloverdale, Ohio. 

Both SUVs went off the southeast side of the intersection, where they struck a utility pole, traffic sign, and junction box. Ms. Shafer, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers at the patrol’s Lima post said.

Ms. Stechschulte and her two juvenile passengers all wore seat belts. All three suffered serious injuries and were taken to ProMedica Defiance Regional Hospital and Mercy Health Defiance Hospital.

Alcohol was a factor in the crash, the patrol said. The crash was still under investigation Tuesday.

First Published January 28, 2025, 3:16 p.m.