Gratis Twp. woman, 33, killed in collision with combine in Preble County

A 33-year-old Gratis Twp. woman was killed in a collision with a Gleaner combine with corn head on Somers Gratis Road, just west of state Route 503, the Preble County Sheriff’s Office said.

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Jessica Johnson died at the scene. According to the preliminary investigation, she was headed east in a Pontiac Grand Prix when it struck the eastbound farm vehicle. The accident occurred just after 4 p.m.

An autopsy for Johnson is scheduled for Thursday at the Montgomery Coroner’s Office.

Jeremy Bendell, 42, of Camden, was driving the combine. He was not injured.

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The corn head looks like it has long fingers, which reach between rows of corn.

Somers Gratis Road was closed approximately four hours for the crash investigation.

This accident involving the combine was one of three fatal accidents on Preble County roadways on Wednesday afternoon that left five people dead. The other accidents occurred on U.S. 127 south of Eaton and on I-70 West near the Ohio-Indiana border.

All three occurred within 31 minutes of each other.