An 82-year-old village mayor was killed Monday evening when a pickup truck struck his riding lawn mower in a tragic collision, authorities said. William Shearer, the longtime mayor of Maineville, suffered fatal head injuries and died after being airlifted to a hospital. The pickup driver, a 30-year-old woman, sustained minor injuries. The tight-knit Ohio community of 1,000 residents is mourning the loss of their dedicated leader, remembered as “a true public servant.” The Ohio State Highway Patrol continues investigating the crash.
Ohio Community Mourns Loss of Longtime Public Servant
MAINEVILLE, Ohio (AP) — An 82-year-old village mayor in southwest Ohio died Monday evening after a pickup truck struck his riding lawn mower in a fatal collision, authorities confirmed.
William Shearer was operating the mower on a local road when the truck rear-ended him, causing severe head injuries. He was airlifted to Miami Valley Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
Driver Sustains Minor Injuries
The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the pickup driver as Victoria Vogel, 30, of Morrow, Ohio. She received treatment for minor injuries at a nearby hospital and was later released.
Investigators are still determining the circumstances of the crash, which occurred in Maineville, a tight-knit community of roughly 1,000 residents located about 25 miles northeast of Cincinnati.
Tributes Pour In for Beloved Mayor
State Sen. Steve Wilson (R-Maineville) honored Shearer in a statement Tuesday, praising him as “a true public servant who loved his community.”
Shearer’s death has left the small village in mourning, with residents remembering his dedication to local leadership. No further details about the investigation have been released.
