SR 101 accident seriously injures married couple from Tiffin

A married couple from Tiffin were seriously injured in a two-vehicle accident on SR 101, north of the Sandusky County and Seneca County line, Thursday afternoon. Michael P. Wittman, 67, and Sue A. Wittman, 67, were both transported to The Bellevue Hospital and were later transferred to Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center. Sue Wittman had to be mechanically extracted from the vehicle. Michael and Sue Wittman were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, according to a release from the Fremont Post of State Highway Patrol. Michael and Sue Wittman were in fair condition Friday afternoon, a Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center spokesman said. Michael Wittman was driving a 2015 GMC Terrain north on SR 101 and had begun to slow down at a railroad crossing. Sue Wittman was a front-seat passenger in the vehicle. Brent A. Bluhm, 27, of Bellevue, was also driving north on SR 101 in a Jeep Grand Cherokee and came up behind Wittman. Bluhm failed to stop with assured clear distance ahead and struck Wittman in the rear, according to the release. Wittman's vehicle went off the right side of the road and struck railroad cross bucks. Bluhm attempted to leave the scene but his vehicle became disabled several hundred feet north of the scene, according to the release. The release states Bluhm was not wearing his safety belt, suffered minor injuries, and refused treatment at the scene. He failed field sobriety testing, was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular assault, felony hit/skip, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a vehicle while impaired, driving under suspension, failing to stop with assured clear distance ahead and not wearing his seat belt, the release states. Drugs and drug paraphernalia were located on his person at the scene, according to the release. Bluhm was taken to the Sandusky County Jail. The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Sandusky County Sheriff's Office, Clyde Police Department, Sandusky County EMS, Clyde Fire Department, Norfolk Southern Corporation, John's Welding and Towing and Grunden's Wrecker Service.