One man dead, another seriously injured in state Route 5 head-on collision Monday

A California man is dead and a Summit County man seriously injured following a head-on collision on state Route 5 in the Paris Township area early Monday morning, according to an Ohio State Highway Patrol media release.

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The highway patrol says a 29-year-old New Franklin man was driving east in a Ford F-150 pickup truck and Gerardo C. Ramirez, 25, of Richmond, California, was driving west in a Honda Accord when the vehicles collided about a half mile west of Holcomb Road at approximately 5:55 a.m.

Ramirez was killed and the New Franklin man was taken to UH Portage Medical Center with serious injuries.

Sgt. Brad Evans, of the Highway patrol's Ravenna post, said Monday afternoon that he believes the New Franklin man was subsequently taken to UH Cleveland Medical Center.

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"But at this time, [injuries] appear to be non-life threatening," said Evans.

Updated information from University Hospitals about the man's condition was not immediately available.

Evans said the crash is under investigation and it is not clear which driver may have gone across the center line.

"It was very close…we don't have an at-fault driver yet," he said.

The highway patrol says both men were wearing seat belts. Alcohol is not suspected.

The Edinburg, Palmyra and Newton Falls fire departments, Portage County Sheriff's Office, John's Towing, Center Towing, Portage County Prosecutor's Office and Ohio Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.

Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: One man dead, another seriously injured in Route 5 head-on collision