By Amanda Smith-Teutsch
Tribune Chronicle
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio — Tow company worker Kevin Dominic is amazed that Patrolman Ross Linert was able to escape from his smashed police cruiser that burst into a ball of fire early Sunday morning.
Recalling the accident scene Monday afternoon, Dominic points out the cruiser’s driver door had popped open from the buckling frame after being slammed from behind by a Cadillac Deville.
‘‘He’s lucky it popped out and didn’t get trapped in,’’ said Dominic who was called to the accident on Meridian Road about 1 a.m. Sunday.
As it was, Linert, 48, released his seat belt and crawled from the cruiser. He was a few feet away from the burning car when rescuers arrived. He suffered extensive burns covering much of his body and remains in critical condition at the burn unit of Akron Children’s Hospital.
All that remains of the Austintown patrolman’s 2005 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor cruiser is a mangled, scorched wreck sitting in Carl’s Towing garage on Mahoning Avenue.
In the next bay of the garage is the Cadillac driven by Adrien Foutz, 22, of Girard. She is accused of driving while intoxicated and crashing into the back of Linert’s moving cruiser at a high rate of speed, causing the cruiser to explode with the officer still inside.
Foutz is in the Mahoning County Jail awaiting arraignment on charges of aggravated vehicular assault, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and failure to maintain assured clear distance. Foutz is scheduled to be arraigned this morning in Youngstown Municipal Court.
A spokesman for the patrol said it does not appear Foutz tried to stop before striking Linert’s cruiser, which was traveling in front of her on Meridian.
A blood sample was taken from Foutz at the hospital and it could take up to a week to get the results of her blood-alcohol content, according to the patrol. The patrol said it charged her with operating a vehicle while impaired based on the smell of alcohol and other factors, such as her speed.
Linert is in critical condition in an induced coma in the burn unit of Akron Children’s Hospital after suffering first-, second- and third-degree burns to his face, hands and legs, Austintown police Chief Robert Gavalier said. Linert is on a ventilator and medical workers are guarding against infection, he said.
‘‘The doctors are saying they’re optimistic,’’ Gavalier said. ‘‘He’s stable, and doing well.’’
Gavalier visited Linert and his family at the hospital Sunday and Monday. A telephone call seeking comment from Linert’s family was not immediately returned Monday evening.
An accident reconstructionist was taking measurements from the wrecked autos Monday evening but the Ohio State Highway Patrol said it may take a week or more for the accident report to be completed. Investigators said Monday that it appears Foutz was travelling more than 65 mph in the 35 mph zone on Meridian Road in Youngstown, where Linert was on patrol.
Linert commonly patrolled the northeast quadrant of the township on his shifts, making traffic stops along Interstate 680 and Canfield Niles Road in a loop bordered by Trumbull County in the north and Youngstown on the east, police reports show.
While cleaning up the accident scene, Dominic said he noticed something else: Ammunition for rifles kept as standard issue in the trunks of Austintown patrol cars exploded during the fire. Three clips of ammunition were in the trunk along with the rifle, he said.
‘‘Those bullets exploded all over the place,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s all gone.’’
The 1995 Cadillac plowed through the rear end of the cruiser. The Ford collapsed into itself, nearly into the front seats and burst into flames. The Cadillac sustained heavy front-end damage.
Gavalier said the cruiser’s gas tank ruptured from the impact and the car burst into flames immediately. He said Linert was able to get his seat belt off, get out of the car and crawl to safety until rescue crews arrived.
Both drivers were taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center, but Linert was transferred to the burn unit shortly afterward.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Phil Robinson was taking measurements Monday evening from both vehicles inside the Austintown garage. He said he’ll apply physics to measurements taken from both vehicles to reconstruct the accident, determining the speed at which the collision occurred and other factors.
Marly Kosinksi contributed to this report.
Copyright 2007 The Tribune Chronicle