A tragic holiday weekend

We were saddened to see that nearly half a dozen people died in Erie County automobile crashes over the Labor Day weekend. Over the three-day weekend, five people lost their lives in four separate crashes. It's abnormal to see that many auto crash fatalities happen locally in such a short period of time. Local law enforcement officials said that crashes like these are often avoidable. "Far too often our troopers see the result of preventable crashes where lives are lost or people are injured," said Sgt. Ryan Purpura, a public information officer for the Ohio State Highway Patrol. "Simple things like not driving impaired, eliminating distractions, following the speed limit and wearing a safety belt can make our roadways safer for everyone." Added Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth: "We send our condolences to the families and friends of those who died in these crashes over the weekend." Those who lost their lives in these are more than statistics: each undoubtedly has people who love them who received the worst news possible during what should have been a time of rest and relaxation. It's a stark reminder of the importance of driving safely, always, and of avoiding dangerous actions like driving under the influence or driving distracted. Those who lost their lives in the county over the Labor Day weekend were: • Cade Gwynn, 23, of Huron • Dantrail Reese, 32, of Indianapolis • Sarah Gehringer, 34, of Wakeman • Hongwei Wang, 56, of Chicago • Zhangli Liu, 56, of Chicago