Austin Grimes, a 29-year-old resident of Fayette, lost his life Saturday afternoon in a violent two-vehicle crash at a rural highway intersection in Gorham Township, Ohio. The collision happened around 4:13 p.m. at the corner of State Route 66 and County Road N, leaving a local family grieving and a small town in shock.
Austin was driving southbound along State Route 66 in his 1993 GMC Suburban. Riding along with him were 26-year-old Emilee Campbell and three-year-old Maggie Karr Grimes. What started as a typical weekend drive turned catastrophic when another vehicle pulled directly into their path without stopping.
State troopers reported that a 2024 Ram 3500 pickup truck, driven by 34-year-old Washington G. Naula Ochoa of Perrysburg, was traveling west on County Road N. Ochoa failed to yield at the posted stop sign and struck Austin’s SUV on the side. The heavy impact forced the Suburban off the west shoulder, causing it to flip over on its roof.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene, but Austin suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead right at the crash site. Paramedics treated Campbell and young Maggie before emergency responders transported them to Saint Vincent’s Hospital. Authorities confirmed that both passengers survived the rollover with minor injuries.
Ochoa and his three passengers inside the pickup truck escaped the crash without any injuries. State troopers arrested Ochoa on the spot and brought him to the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio. Officers officially charged him with vehicular homicide and failure to yield the right of way at a stop sign.
Ohio State Highway Patrol investigators noted that alcohol and drugs were not factors in the collision. However, troopers stated that a lack of seatbelt use contributed to the fatal outcome. Highway crews kept State Route 66 closed for nearly four hours while crash reconstruction teams examined the area.
For the tight-knit community of Fayette, Austin’s sudden death leaves a deep hole. He leaves behind loved ones, friends, and a toddler who will grow up without her dad. While the legal case moves forward in court, those who knew Austin are left holding onto the memories of a young life cut far too short.
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