Austin Waldren Obituary, Death – An 18-year-old student tragically lost his life in a single-vehicle accident on Thursday evening, as reported by the New Philadelphia Police Department. The crash occurred around 5:30 p.m. when officers responded to reports of an accident involving injuries.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a 2009 Chevy sedan that had driven into the UPS center located in the 200 block of 8th Street SW. The driver, Austin Waldren, was a student at both Indian Valley High School and the Buckeye Career Center. According to police, Waldren was traveling south on 7th Street SW when he failed to make a sharp turn onto Bank Lane. Instead of turning, the vehicle continued straight into the UPS parking lot and collided with the building.
Waldren was taken to a nearby hospital, where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances of the crash. Captain David Morris of the New Philadelphia Police Department stated that the reason Waldren was unable to navigate the turn is still unclear. While phone usage has been ruled out as a factor, it remains uncertain whether a medical issue or another type of impairment contributed to the accident.
“We’re still looking into what might have caused him to drive straight instead of turning,” Captain Morris noted. “At this point, we don’t know where he was coming from or where he was heading.” The investigation continues as officials seek to determine the precise cause of the crash, and an autopsy will be conducted to gather more information.