Alleged drunken driver charged in crash that killed Elyria woman

An Elyria woman was killed Sunday night after an alleged drunken driver ran a red light and struck her car at North Abbe Road and state Route 57. Joshua Thompson, 41, of Elyria has been charged in relation to the crash which killed Sherry Taylor, 50, who was identified by Lorain County Coroner Dr. Frank Miller on Monday. According to a release from Elyria police, officers were dispatched at 10:05 p.m. Sunday in response to a crash and rollover at the intersection. Police said that a 2011 Ford Escape, operated by Taylor, was traveling south on North Abbe Road toward Route 57 at the same time that a 1999 Ford Explorer driven by Thompson was traveling north on Route 57. Both vehicles continued into the intersection and the Escape was struck on the driver's side by Thompson's Explorer. The Explorer continued into the northbound lane and overturned onto its roof. Police said that an initial investigation found that Thompson failed to stop at a red light before striking the Escape. Thompson and a passenger in the Explorer, 40-year-old Brent Wise, were injured in the crash and taken to University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center. Their current condition is not known. Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene. Miller said Monday that her cause of death was internal injuries caused by the crash. The release said alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash and Thompson, who lives on University Avenue, has been charged with operating a vehicle impaired. Additional charges are anticipated. According to Elyria Municipal Court records, Thompson has been charged with operating a vehicle while impaired twice before; once in 2011 and more recently in June 2023. Both times Thompson pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, in December pleading guilty to reckless operation and failure to maintain physical control. Court records show that Thompson completed a driver diversion program stemming from the more recent charge and had his license suspended from Dec. 19 to Feb. 25. Thompson still owed the court $213 in fines from the 2023 offense at the time of the crash on Sunday. In August 2011, Thompson was charged with operating a vehicle impaired and failure to stop after an accident; both of those charges were dismissed. He pleaded guilty to failure to control in that case. He is set to appear in Elyria Municipal Court for an arraignment on the OVI charge this morning.