PAINT TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A quiet Wayne County community was shaken early Friday when a 30‑year‑old woman from Dalton died in a head‑on collision on State Route 241, authorities confirmed.
Just before 7:40 a.m. on February 6, troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol got the call about a serious crash on the stretch of road north of Mount Eaton near milepost 4. When first responders arrived, they found two vehicles badly damaged in a ditch along the east side of the roadway.
The preliminary investigation showed that a dark blue 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, driven by Ina M. Wengerd of Dalton, was headed southbound when she lost control on a slight curve. The car drifted across the center line and struck a northbound 2007 Ford EC3 van head‑on.
Both vehicles skidded off the road and came to rest in a shallow ditch. Emergency crews from Paint Township Fire and EMS, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, the Wayne County Coroner’s Office and Star American Towing all worked at the scene.
Wengerd, who was wearing her seat belt, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the van, 27‑year‑old Zeferino Navarro Vasquez of Canton, was also buckled in and walked away without injuries.
Troopers said alcohol and drugs are not suspected at this time, and the crash remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol as they continue to piece together what led to the loss of control.
Neighbors and folks who knew Wengerd described her as a calm presence and kind neighbor, often seen around town early in the morning before sunrise. Friends said news of her death has left a heavy silence in the Dalton community.
Road conditions were clear early that morning, though temperatures hovered near freezing, a reminder that even familiar stretches of highway can turn treacherous without warning.
Officials urge drivers to slow down and pay careful attention to curves and narrow stretches of two‑lane roads, especially when traveling before dawn. The state patrol continues to gather evidence and hopes to release further details this week as family and friends mourn the loss of someone taken too soon.
