Crane Falls Onto Car, Killing Motorist Inside

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Police are investigating a crane accident Monday that killed a motorist passing an Ohio State University construction site--the second crane accident at the site since May.

The 25-ton crane was too close to the edge of a nearly 6-foot-high mound of dirt that couldn’t support its weight, police said. The crane toppled into the street, crushing a passing car and killing its driver, Marvin B. Kuhn, 45, of Columbus. The crane operator had minor injuries.

The contractor, P.J. Dick Inc., could face criminal and civil charges, officials said. In May, a crane toppled when a hole opened in the ground beneath it. That crane’s operator also received minor injuries.