OSP: Urbana Woman Struck, Killed While Mowing Lawn

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash in Urbana involving a minivan that struck a riding lawn mower, killing a woman as she cut her grass.

The patrol said the minivan crossed the center line of U.S. Route 68 Monday, left the road and struck a riding lawn mower driven by 40-year-old Joni Sheaffer of Urbana. She died at the scene.

Troopers said the the impact was so hard that one of the tires on the lawmower flew into a neighboring yard.

Investigators are trying to determine how close the mower was to the highway and what caused the driver of the minivan, a 72-year-old woman, to lose control.

Authorities said a second crash happened involving a motorcycle as a result of a traffic backup on Route 68 due to the lawnmower crash. Careflight was called and took the motorcyclist to Miami Valley Hospital.