YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Coroner Dr. David Kennedy has ruled accidental the deaths of a man and woman in a fiery November crash, and the January death of a woman on train tracks.

Audreyona M. Ward, 25, of Volney Road, and Jasper W. Wells Jr., 32, of Porter Avenue in Campbell, both died in a 9:06 p.m. Nov. 27, 2019, motor vehicle crash into a pole on Salt Springs Road near County Line Road, and both are believed to have died within seconds.

Ward’s death certificate was filed Feb. 7. Wells’ death certificate was filed March 24. Both died from blunt force injuries, smoke inhalation and burn injuries.

The crash occurred on a cold night with wind and a rain-snow mixture in a dimly lit area, the coroner’s office stated.

Wells was the driver as the vehicle traveled on Salt Springs after Youngstown police had called off a pursuit of the vehicle that had reached 115 mph. The chase began because the vehicle was reported stolen out of Campbell.

Afterward, officers “canvassed the area for the vehicle and found it on fire against an electrical pole off the right side of the roadway,” the coroner’s office stated.

Once the fire was extinguished, the bodies of Ward and Wells were found inside. They were taken to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. They were identified using fingerprints.

The Youngstown Police Department reported that the vehicle was traveling about 90 mph when it passed through a curve on Salt Springs Road about 400 feet from where it crashed.

The vehicle spun several times before jumping a curb and striking a wooden utility pole.

The crash caused the fuel line to break on the driver’s side and pump gas onto the hot exhaust pipe, causing the vehicle to catch fire, the coroner’s office stated.

The vehicle was burned to its frame, the report states.

Meanwhile, the coroner’s office also ruled the Jan. 13 death of Susan L. Pinto, 60, of West Georgia Avenue in Sebring, to be accidental from being struck by a train at a crossing at East Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street in Sebring.

She died quickly of multiple blunt-force injuries, Kennedy ruled. Her death certificate was filed April 24.

Sebring police were called to the scene at 7:51 p.m. They reported that Pinto was walking to a store when she walked in front of the train. A small store is nearby. It was 38 degrees outside and dark, the coroner’s office stated.

Norfolk Southern Corp. gave the coroner’s office a video showing Pinto walking across the train tracks “at a steady pace while the train’s horn is sounding and the crossing gates down,” the coroner’s office reported. “She had her hood up, inattentive and did not look at the train while crossing.”

erunyan@tribtoday.com