Delphos couple escapes serious injury in fatal crash

May 24—DEFIANCE — A Delphos man and two passengers in the vehicle he was driving escaped serious injury in a highway crash Thursday that left a Defiance man dead.

According to a statement from the Defiance post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the fatal crash occurred shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of U.S. 24 and Independence Road in Defiance County.

According to the report, James Bailey, 82, of Defiance, was operating a 2022 Honda Insight southbound on Independence Road when he failed to yield at a stop sign and pulled onto the path of a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up driven by Brandon Sanchez, 53, of Delphos, which was traveling southwest on U. S. 24.

Bailey was flown to St. Vincent's Hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries. A passenger, Marcia R. Bailey, 71, of Defiance, was transported to Defiance Regional Hospital with serious injuries. Both occupants were wearing their seat belts.

Sanchez and two passengers of his vehicle, Jennifer M. Sanchez, 48, of Delphos, and Caitlin Sanchez, 18, of Paulding, were transported to Defiance Regional Hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries and released.

Drugs or alcohol are not suspected to be a factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.