Two unrelated Ohio crashes involving horses leave two women dead

Two separate horse-related crashes in Ohio left two women dead and injured three others. In Highland County, a GMC Sonoma struck a horse-drawn carriage from behind on U.S. Route 50 near Route 753, killing carriage driver Melinda Coblentz, 49, and injuring two passengers, ages 17 and 2; both were flown to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, while the truck driver was uninjured. In Bazetta Township, Heather M. Robinson, 42, of Cortland, died after her motorcycle struck one of two horses that entered State Route 46 and then veered into a ditch. Robinson was wearing a helmet, and investigators said alcohol and drugs were not believed to be factors; one horse suffered minor injuries, and both crashes remain under investigation.