Joshua Armstrong and Carl Schlechty die in fatal Darke County car crash

Joshua Armstrong and Carl Schlechty die in fatal Darke County car crash

Fatal Darke County car crash death of Joshua Armstrong and Carl Schlechty – Obituary

Joshua Armstrong and Carl Schlechty were killed in a devastating multi-vehicle crash last week in Darke County, according to authorities. Joshua Armstrong, 19, and Carl Schlechty, 18, both of Greenville, died at the scene after their vehicle was involved in a fiery collision on Ohio 49.

The crash occurred on the morning of January 16 in the 2400 block of Ohio 49 near Pitsburg-Laura Road. Emergency crews were dispatched around 7:21 a.m. after a caller reported a vehicle engulfed in flames. When first responders arrived, they found three vehicles involved, with two fully burning.

Investigators said Armstrong and Schlechty were traveling north in a cargo van pulling a trailer when it crossed the center line and collided with a Spirit EMS medical transport bus traveling in the opposite direction. The van then struck a 2013 Dodge sedan, and both vehicles caught fire.

Armstrong and Schlechty were found deceased inside the cargo van. The driver of the medical transport, identified earlier as 63-year-old Chris Bemis of St. Marys, was critically injured and later died at the hospital. The driver of the Dodge sedan was able to escape and was treated at the scene.

Two passengers in the medical transport, a 12-year-old and a 62-year-old, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to Wayne Healthcare for treatment.

Officials confirmed that one of the victims was a student at the Miami Valley Career Technology Center. The school released a statement expressing deep sorrow and said counseling and support services were made available to students and staff affected by the tragedy.

The Darke County Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office continue to review the circumstances surrounding the crash.