Commentary: 2020 saw a harrowing spike in drug overdoses
Frank Forchione
The year 2020 will go down as the deadliest year in U.S. history for accidental overdoses, as the crisis rages on. Sadly, Stark County had a dramatic increase 130 people died from overdoses, a 26% increase from the 103 that succumbed in 2019.
In Ohio, the preliminary figures look grim. It is projected that fatalities in 2020 will increase by more than 20% and break the all-time record of 4,854 fatal overdoses set in 2017.
Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that overdose deaths should surpass 81,000 in 2020, up from 68,000 the previous year.
The Stark County Coroner’s Office found itself overwhelmed, with an excess of bodies. An analysis of its records revealed that 63% of those who fell to these stealthy killers were male, in comparison to 37% female. However, the breakdown in age ranges was a bit surprising, with 34% of the deaths occurring between 30 and 40 years o
PERRY TWP. A township man died following a Tuesday morning crash with a Perry Local Schools bus.
John Ickes, 73, was identified by the Stark County Coroner s Office as the motorist who died not long after the crash at an Aultman Hospital emergency room.
Perry Police Chief Mike Pomesky said Ickes was heading north on Locke Avenue SW and collided with a Perry school bus around 7:35 a.m. while he was turning onto Lincoln Way E.
At the time of the crash, Ickes was suffering from a medical episode, which is the apparent cause of his death, according to Rick Walters, the coroner s office chief investigator.
Missing woman found dead in Jackson Township
Canton Repository staff report
They do not believe there was any foul play in her death.
The body of Jane McClelland, a resident of the Laurels of Massillon, was discovered at 7:39 a.m. Sunday behind a large snowbank in the area of The Strip shopping plaza and Stark State College, police said.
Her body was taken to the Stark County Coroner s Office for an autopsy and to determine the cause of death.
Authorities had asked for the public s help Saturday in finding her. Police reported that they had responded to a call at 5:15 p.m. Friday at Hudec Dental for a call about a missing woman.
JACKSON TWP. Investigators continue to trace the path of a Massillon nursing home resident who died after leaving for a dental appointment Friday.
Authorities believe no foul play was involved in the death of Jane L. McClelland, township Police Chief Mark Brink said Monday, adding that they continue to investigate and to await the results of a Stark County Coroner s Office autopsy.
McClelland, 64, who authorities said suffered from Alzheimer s, went missing and was found dead Sunday morning in a snowbank near The Strip shopping center. She was a resident of The Laurels of Massillon.
In a news release from the nursing facility on Monday morning, Hayley Simpson, regional director of operations for the Laurel Health Care Co., wrote that on Friday, McClelland went on a leave of absence to attend a personal appointment. The resident independently scheduled the appointment with their provider, arranged transportation, and was appropriately checked out by staff upon their departu
A Stark County woman who was reported missing Friday evening after she walked away from a grocery store was found dead Sunday morning, authorities say.