Coroner: Pedestrian died from head, neck trauma

The Butler County Coroner’s office ruled this morning that the 22-year-old Middletown man who was killed while he was walking Wednesday morning on Central Avenue died of head and neck trauma.

The manner of death in the case involving Cody Casada, of Bavarian Drive, is pending, the coroner’s office said.

Casada had just finished his shift at Premier Fitness when he started walking from the business on South Breiel Boulevard to his home.

At the same time, Ellen Bolinger-Morrison, 38, of Middletown, was driving her 2003 GMC Envoy east on Central Avenue around 12:05 a.m. Wednesday. She may have experienced a medical problem, and she drove off the road, striking Casada and several mailboxes, said Lt. Jim Cunningham of the Middletown Division of Police.

Casada was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Bolinger-Morrison was treated and released from Atrium Medical Center in Middletown, Cunningham said. The fatality is under investigation and charges are pending, Cunningham said.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Detective Steve Winters at 513-425-7786.

Eric Rose, who worked with Casada at Premier Fitness, called him a very hard worker who was trusting.

“A great kid,” Rose said. “It’s just terrible.”