Crash in Steuben County claims one life

A Tuesday night crash in Steuben County has claimed the life of a Pleasant Lake man.

Steuben County Sheriff Deputies were called to the fatal crash just before 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 27. Once on the scene, at CR 400 S west of Meridian Road, officers found a SUV that had struck a tree. The driver of the vehicle, 57-year-old Charles Vilders of Pleasant Lake, was pronounced dead at the scene due to blunt force trauma.

Police say it appears Vilders was traveling west on CR 400 S when for an unknown reason he went off the side of the road and hit a tree head on.

Currently, its unknown if alcohol is a factor and police say Vilders was not wearing a safety belt.

Meanwhile, the crash remains under investigation by the Steuben County Sheriff’s office.