MIAMI COUNTY — The man who lost his fiancé and mother of his child is speaking out about the fatal crash that took her life.
Ethan Smith knew something was wrong on March 30 when his daycare provider called saying his fiancé, Chelsey Vollmer, had not arrived to drop off their 17-month-old daughter, Ezra.
Smith said he tried to call Vollmer, but could not get a hold of her. Then received received a call from Dayton Children’s Hospital.
“I knew I wasn’t going to see Chelsey because nobody said anything about her,” Smith said.
Vollmer, 32, was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by Jalen Alexander, 19, at the intersection of U.S. 40 and state Route 202. Alexander was being pursued by Troy police after he took off from an attempted traffic stop.
Ezra was pulled from Vollmer’s car after the accident by police in neighbors. She had fractured ribs and an enlarged spleen.
Smith said that Ezra surviving was the only good part of the tragedy.
“We get to hold Chelsey still. She’s still with us in a way, other people don’t get that chance,” Smith said.
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Smith is not ready to talk about his opinion on what happened leading to Vollmer’s death. Instead, he has turned his focus to his children and remembering the woman he loved.
While it is painful to try and move forward, Smith said he has been amazed by the support he and his family have received.
“Of course there is grief there, but I think I’m also so thankful that any of us got to spend any amount of time with her,” Smith said.
Cox Media Group
