NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio — A 61-year-old man was found dead, and a 66-year-old man was found unconscious but alive in a driveway over the weekend.
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North Olmsted Police Detective Matt Beck told our CBS affiliate WOIO-19 that “this appears to be a tragic accident where alcohol was a factor and not a homicide.”
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According to Detective Lieutenant Beck, both men returned to 61-year-old Jeffrey Ropp’s home in the 26900 block of Kingston Circle on Friday night.
Donald Matthei, 66, slipped and fell on the driveway and lost consciousness, WOIO-19 reported.
Ropp then exited the passenger’s side of Matthei’s truck and also fell.
Both men are believed to have been outside for nearly 11 hours before being found, WOIO-19 reported.
Ropp was pronounced dead at the scene. Matthei was taken to University Hospitals St. John Medical Center.
Detective Lieutenant Beck told WOIO-19 they are still working to confirm Matthei’s statements, but “nothing discovered to this point contradicts his statements.”
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