Emergency crews respond Tuesday evening after a collision on Liberty Avenue in Vermilion. Police say a moped and car collided when the driver of the car turned into a driveway.
Vermilion – A 20-year-old Vermilion man has died following a crash Tuesday evening on Liberty Avenue near Subway. Authorities say a westbound car turning into a driveway collided with an eastbound moped, fatally injuring the rider.
According to the Vermilion Police Department, officers arrived shortly after 6:20 p.m. and found the moped operator, Merik Bendig, unresponsive but breathing. He was treated at the scene by Vermilion Fire and LifeCare EMS before being transported by helicopter to Cleveland MetroHealth, where he later died from his injuries.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed that Bendig succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the car, a 19-year-old woman from Lorain, was not hurt.
A trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the driver failed to yield while turning left into a driveway on Liberty Avenue, causing the collision. Witnesses told police the car was turning into Szklar’s Martial Arts Academy when the crash occurred. The moped struck the car’s passenger side, and Bendig was thrown several feet from the point of impact.
Family members have been notified, and numerous friends and relatives shared confirmations of Bendig’s passing on social media Wednesday morning. The Ohio State Highway Patrol continues to investigate.