The car, a two-door 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo heading east on the road, veered across the double yellow line and off the left side of the road, traveling through yards and clipping the back end of a vehicle in a neighboring driveway before tearing across Tammy Fraley’s front yard and slamming into a tree.
MORE: Neighbors say Monroe crash indication of pervasive problem
A longtime resident, Fraley said speeding motorists have become “a tremendous problem” over the years. She has lived on the the quiet, short stretch of rural roadway for four decades and said the 35 mph is “way too high” for the road.
Police Chief Bob Buchanan told City Council on Tuesday that a speed analysis was done in the 800 block of North Garver Road from May 30 through June 2.
Of the 3,073 vehicles that used the road during that time, 2.563 were compliant with the speed limit. The analysis revealed that 480 vehicles exceeded the speed limit by up to 10 mph, 27 vehicles exceeded the speed limit by more than 10 mph and three vehicles exceeded the speed limit by 20 mph or more. One vehicle was recorded at 73 mph.
The data indicated that the vehicles were going an average of 29.22 mph.
Buchanan also told council that there have been eight crashes reported on that road in the past five years — two in 2017; five in 2018; and one in 2019.
He said residents feel the data was “skewed” because it did not include non-reported crashes.
Buchanan said police will be will be reaching out to residents to discuss the matter further. In addition, police will determine if additional signage is needed to let motorists know the area is an targeted enforcement area andwarn of the sharp curve on the road. He said the department will revisit the residents in a few months to see if traffic has slowed.
In the police report, the vehicle driven by a Dayton woman was allegedly seen operating recklessly, swerving and lane drifting in Middletown and later Monroe. Police also learned that the owner of the car told the woman not to drive the car because of mechanical issues and that it was not insured, according to the report. The owner also told police she was unaware the driver was under a license suspension.
Police allegedly found two bent syringes in the front passenger floorboard and retrieved a small baggie of suspected methamphetamines from the male passenger in the vehicle.
Officer Joshua King, Monroe police spokesman, said the investigating officer is waiting for blood test results and a meeting with the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office before the possible filing charges in Butler County Area II Court in Hamilton. Police are seeking to file charges of aggravated vehicular assault, driving under suspension and reasonable control against the driver.
This report contains previous reporting by Staff Writer Eric Schwartzberg.
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