Ohio plane crash kills ex-lawmaker, 5 others

FREMONT, Ohio (AP) — A small plane crashed Sunday afternoon in a residential area and killed all six people aboard, including the pilot, a former state lawmaker who had offered joyrides to airport visitors after a charity breakfast.

Gene Damschroder Sr., 86, was flying the fixed-wing, single-engine Cessna when it crashed about 1 p.m., the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. His five passengers also died in the crash in Sandusky County.

No one on the ground was injured, and no buildings were damaged, patrol Lt. Tony Bradshaw said. It was too early to tell what caused the crash less than a mile from the airport. The National Weather Service said there was no severe weather in the area at the time.

Also killed were Bill Ansted, 62; Allison Ansted, 23; Danielle Gerwin, 31; Emily Gerwin, 4; and Matt Clearman, 25.

Federal investigators were on their way to the crash site, Bradshaw said.

Damschroder served in the state House from 1973 to 1983 as a Republican.