Beverly Spears Forte is a devoted mother to her son Farron, 44 with autism.
She recently received the dreaded call that her son was involved in a horrific head on collision, while traveling with his co-workers and supervisors to Solutions at Work (SAW) program through the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disability.
Farron was one of the two survivors that were life flighted to the trauma unit with a broken pelvis and acute trauma.
NEWBURY TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Five people who died in a Newbury Township crash on Monday were traveling inside a van operated by a Cleveland-area nonprofit that serves people with developmental disabilities, according to officials.
Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities owns the Ford Econoline van that struck a flatbed tractor-trailer on State Route 44, and leased it to Solutions at Work Inc., an organization headquartered in Maple Heights that provides work training and other services to people with developmental disabilities, board spokeswoman Elizabeth Day said.
Solutions at Work, also known as SAW, was formed in 1969 in partnership with the county board, according to its website.
The organization’s CEO Judy Carey said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that all five people killed in the crash, as well as two of the van’s passengers who survived, were part of a mobile work crew that provided custodial services to businesses that partner with SAW.
“This mobile crew have been long time, dedicated, hardworking, proud workers,” the statement said. “We are working closely with the Ohio State Highway Patrol as they continue to investigate this tragic accident.”
Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities Superintendent Kelly Petty said in a statement the board will also provide assistance to families of those involved in the crash.