Mason Schools mourn recent graduate killed in West Chester crash

Jun. 16—The Butler County coroner has identified the driver who died in a West Chester Twp. crash last night as 18-year-old Jyan Waespe of Mason.

West Chester Twp. police say they have not arrested the other driver yet but believe alcohol or drugs may be involved in the fatal crash at Tylersville and Butler Warren roads at around 11 p.m.

911 callers reported seeing a vehicle run the red light at high speed and crash into the side of another, with two different callers reporting they thought someone had been killed in the crash, one telling dispatchers “I think he’s dead,” and another repeating “He’s dead, he’s dead” before the dispatcher spoke.

A crash report from the West Chester Police Department said that a 1999 Ford Ranger pickup truck was driving south on Butler Warren Road and ran the red light, crashing into the side of a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt.

Waespe was driving the Cobalt at the time of the crash, the report said. Emergency crews had to extract him from the vehicle by mechanical means, and medics took him to West Chester Hospital.

Waespe was declared dead at around 11:30 p.m. at the hospital. The cause of death was “multiple traumatic injuries” and the preliminary finding is it was an accident.

The driver of the Ranger suffered suspected minor injuries and was not taken to the hospital.

Police are still investigating the incident.

In a statement to Facebook, Mason City Schools said Waespe was a 2002 Mason High School graduate.

“Our Comet community is grieving the loss of one of our MHS Class of 2022 graduates, Jyan Waespe, who succumbed to injuries he sustained during a car crash last night,” the post said.

“This is a terrible loss, and our hearts go out to Jyan’s family and friends in what we know must be unimaginable grief.”

The district is offering grief support to students in need of it. Parents and guardians may contact Prevention & Wellness Supervisor Nicole Pfirman by email.