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SR 161 reopens near Westerville following fatal crash

BLENDON TOWNSHIP, OH (WCMH) – State Route 161 was closed for several hours between Westerville Road and Strawberry Farms due to a fatal crash.

It happened at 6:40am Wednesday morning on East Dublin-Granville Road east of Westerville Road in Blendon Township.


According to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, a westbound Mercury Mariner driven by Thomas Devore, 67, of Westerville went into eastbound lanes and hit a 2010 Ford Fusion driven by Brian Tatman, 43, of Columbus. Tatman’s car went on to hit a Toyota Corolla driven by Abdulai Bongura, age 46 of Westerville.

Devore was pronounced dead at the scene. Tatman was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries.

Bongura was not injured, according to the Sheriff’s office.

Investigators say it is unknown at this time whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash. Devore was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

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