Iraq war vet hurt when car crashes into pole

Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Iraq war vet hurt when car crashes into pole
By Daniel Wells
Hamilton JournalNews

ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP - An Iraq war veteran and Edgewood High School graduate was flown to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton Monday after he crashed his convertible into a utility pole on East Taylor School Road on the border between St. Clair and Wayne townships.

Cpl. Joshua Zehler, 22, got out of the Marines in June after serving two tours of duty in Iraq.

He was on his way to his brother's wrestling practice when he crashed his red Mazda Miata at 2:59 p.m.

Zehler told police he drove off the roadway after reaching for a drink, said Butler County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Brockman.

The vehicle traveled about 190 feet before striking a brick pillar in the 3200 block of E. Taylor School Road. The pillar threw the Miata head-on into the utility pole, which cracked on impact, Brockman said.

Zehler plans to start school at Miami University in Oxford next year, said his brother, Zach Zehler.

His brother was easy-going, Zach Zehler said. "He would have been considered the class clown."

Joshua Zehler was being treated for non-life-threatening internal injuries, his brother said.

Ellie