Crash collapses gas station awning

Editor's note: Joseph Jones is a Register correspondent representing vermiliondaily.com. VERMILION — A serious crash at the BP Mickey Mart occurred at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Nantucket Drive on Monday afternoon in Vermilion. A silver mid-sized vehicle, believed to be a Chrysler 300, was heading eastbound on Liberty Avenue when the driver apparently experienced a medical emergency, according to Vermilion police Sgt. Scott Holmes. The vehicle ran through a stop sign, entered the gas station lot and struck a fuel pump and the support structure holding up the carport awning, Holmes said. The impact caused significant structural damage, and emergency crews responded quickly. Vermilion police, city Fire Chief Bill Brown and representatives from Coles Energy were present. A stop sign was also knocked down during the incident but was later reset by an officer. There was no explosion and employees inside the store were unharmed. But responders treated the area as a hazardous zone due to the nature of the crash and the risk posed by the damaged fuel infrastructure. The driver was unconscious at the scene and transported by Life Flight to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. Life Flight launched from Vermilion Township's landing zone. Her identity and current condition have not been released. The incident remains under investigation, but authorities on scene indicated that it was likely caused by a medical emergency.