A quiet Monday afternoon in Carlisle Township took a devastating turn when a two-vehicle collision on State Route 301 claimed the life of a 71-year-old woman. Elaine Patterson, a resident of Burbank, was killed when the car she was riding in was struck by a heavy-duty pickup truck. The crash has left a family in mourning and investigators searching for more answers about what went wrong on that stretch of road.
The accident happened just before 1:30 p.m. in the 14200 block of Route 301. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Elaine was the passenger in a 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by 63-year-old Michael Patterson. The couple had just pulled out of a private driveway and begun heading north when a 2025 Ford F-350, also traveling north, approached them from behind.
The situation turned tragic as the driver of the Ford, 46-year-old Anthony Weir of Wellington, attempted to pass the slower-moving Chrysler. At that exact moment, Michael Patterson began making a left-hand turn. The massive Ford truck slammed into the smaller PT Cruiser, sending both vehicles careening off the left side of the roadway. The force of the impact was so severe that both vehicles came to a rest far from the pavement in a tangled mess of metal.
Emergency crews from across Lorain County rushed to the scene. Despite the quick response from the Carlisle and LaGrange Fire Departments, there was nothing they could do for Elaine. She was pronounced dead at the scene. It is a small but hollow comfort to her family that she was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash, as were all other parties involved.
Michael Patterson didn’t escape unscathed. He suffered serious injuries and was rushed to UH Elyria Hospital. While his physical wounds are being treated by doctors, the emotional weight of losing Elaine in such a sudden, violent way is something no hospital can fix. The community in Burbank has already begun reaching out to support the family during this impossible time.
Inside the Ford F-350, Anthony Weir was treated at the scene for minor injuries. His passenger, 55-year-old Frank Sadzewics III, managed to walk away from the wreckage without any reported injuries. While they were physically safe, the gravity of the accident hung heavy over everyone present as investigators began the grim task of documenting the site.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is currently leading the investigation to figure out exactly how the timing of the turn and the pass led to such a fatal outcome. For now, Route 301 remains a somber reminder of how quickly a routine drive can change a life forever. Elaine Patterson is remembered by those who knew her as a kind soul, and her loss has left a deep void in the hearts of her loved ones.
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