Eric Coleman, left, wearing black hat, coaches kids at a youth wrestling tournament.
By JOHN ANDERSON
The Bolivar-Richburg wrestling team attended the funeral of one of their coaches on Tuesday, just days after winning a Section V championships.
This morning, the father of one of the wrestlers who went to the finals and wrestles this weekend in the state qualifiers, died in a car accident in Ohio.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Troopers said Eric Coleman, 41, of Friendship, was the passenger in a vehicle that went off the road at 6:23 a.m. and struck a light pole.
Coleman was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said.
Troopers said Jonathan Jackson, 31, of Olean, was driving a Nissan Versa on I-71 in Congress Township, Wayne County when he drove off the road at 6:23 a.m. and struck the light pole. Jackson was taken to Akron General Hospital for minor injuries, troopers said. No charges or other information was made available.
Coleman’s family, including his wife Vanessa and three children have been notified. The parents of the children Eric Coleman coached were told after school.
His son, Ethan, qualified for the Super Sectionals at 138 pounds.
Friends and student-athletes Coleman impacted over the years are going through photos and sharing memories.
“It seems like each photo we are going through, he is in it. He coached with us at the Wolverine Den and traveled all over with the kids,” said parent and friend Shane Sibble. “He was such a positive person and a great father and husband.”
Coleman coached youth football for years in Cuba and the kids attended Franklinville before transferring to Bolivar-Richburg.
