Perrysburg-Millbury, Ohio EF4 Tornado – June 5, 2010

A violent tornado moved across portions of Wood and Ottawa Counties in northwest Ohio late on the night of June 5, 2010. Rated EF4 with estimated winds of 170 to 175 mph, the tornado remained on the ground for nearly nine miles and claimed seven lives. It remains one of the deadliest tornadoes to strike Ohio in recent decades.

The tornado developed at approximately 11:20 PM EDT east of Perrysburg near Oregon Road and the Ohio Turnpike. Initially producing minor damage, the tornado tracked east-northeast through rural portions of northern Wood County before strengthening as it approached the communities of Moline and Lake Township. As the tornado crossed East Broadway Street, homes in several neighborhoods sustained major damage, and some were completely destroyed.

Approaching Toledo Metcalf Airport, the tornado reached EF3 intensity. Railroad cars were overturned, businesses were heavily damaged, and the Lake Township Administration and Police Department building was destroyed. Several police vehicles were tossed from their parking areas, and an emergency response vehicle was reportedly carried more than 1,000 feet.

Among those seeking shelter near the township building was 20-year-old Bailey Bowman. She had reportedly stopped at the facility after encountering the storm while traveling through the area. Bowman was caught outside as the tornado struck and was killed by flying debris.

Just beyond the police station, along State Route 795 and Moline-Martin Road, additional homes were leveled. One of those houses belonged to 87-year-old Irwin Welling, who later died from injuries sustained during the tornado.

The tornado then moved directly into the Lake Local School District complex. Lake High School sustained catastrophic damage and was later considered destroyed. The school’s gymnasium, where graduation ceremonies were scheduled to be held less than 12 hours later, suffered a partial collapse. The auditorium, cafeteria, field house, and other portions of the campus were heavily damaged or destroyed. Multiple school buses were overturned and demolished.

Continuing eastward near State Route 795, the tornado struck vehicles traveling near the school complex. Kathleen Hammitt, a 56-year-old minister from Woodville, was killed when debris struck her vehicle. Her daughters, traveling behind her in another vehicle, survived with minor injuries.

After crossing Interstate 280, the tornado moved through open fields before strengthening once again as it approached Millbury. Several homes west of town were destroyed. Ted Kranz was killed when the tornado demolished his home on Case Road. Elsewhere along the damage path, Lake High School—where graduation ceremonies were scheduled for the following day—had been heavily damaged. Kranz’s daughter, Katie, was the valedictorian of the graduating class.

The tornado reached its peak intensity on the north side of Millbury. Along Main Street, numerous homes were swept away or completely destroyed as the tornado intensified to EF4 strength. Among the hardest-hit families were the Walters family. Thirty-six-year-old Mary Walters and her four-year-old son Hayden were killed when their home was destroyed. Mary’s husband, Ryan Walters, was critically injured and later died from injuries sustained in the storm.

The tornado continued eastward through additional residential areas before crossing into Ottawa County. Although somewhat weaker than its peak intensity in Millbury, the tornado continued to cause significant damage to homes near Trowbridge, Billman, and Reiman Roads. It finally dissipated west of Clay Center at approximately 11:34 PM EDT after a lifespan of roughly fourteen minutes.

In Wood County alone, more than 60 homes were destroyed or heavily damaged. Additional homes were destroyed in Ottawa County, and hundreds more structures sustained lesser damage. Trees were snapped and debarked, utility infrastructure was heavily impacted, and widespread power outages affected much of the area. Debris from the tornado was later found dozens of miles away, including on islands in western Lake Erie.

Recovery efforts began almost immediately. Lake High School was rebuilt, Lake Township reconstructed its damaged facilities, and residents gradually returned to neighborhoods that had been devastated. In 2012, Lake Township dedicated a memorial honoring the seven victims of the tornado. Today, the memorial serves as a permanent reminder of the lives lost and of a tornado that changed the communities of Lake Township and Millbury in just fourteen minutes.