ST. MARYS — Prosecutors said they are still waiting for the results of a federal workplace safety appeal.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
They tell the News Center 7’s I-Team that it will determine whether anyone faces criminal charges for a deadly building collapse that happened one year ago today.
News Center 7’s I-Team John Bedell went to Auglaize County on Friday to get an update on that federal appeal and the local investigation.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Dayton Public School board votes against putting superintendent on leave
- Clark County Park District cuts ranger division to fight budget shortfall
- Check your tickets! Winning lottery ticket sold at area gas station
“It’s been sad,” Donna Staley, of Wapakoneta, said.
Staley works on East Spring Street in St. Marys.
Donna and Dennis Zahn remember what the street looked like after a deadly building collapse last summer.
“Just when it collapsed in the back part, it was so scary,” Staley said.
“Well, the front part pretty much stayed intact. The rear part…actually gave away,” Zahn said.
The view from Sky 7 shows how the property changed one year later.
“Completely different. Like now this big hole. We don’t know when it’s ever going to change,” Staley said.
“Who knows, someday maybe they’ll build something there,” Zahn said.
>>RELATED: Ruling on appeal could determine criminal charges in deadly St. Marys building collapse
On Friday, Auglaize County Prosecutor Ben Elder said he has not yet made a charging decision in connection with last summer’s deadly collapse.
He confirmed that he’s waiting to see what happens with a federal appeals process in connection with Todd Klosterman’s OSHA citations.
As the I-Team previously reported, in November OSHA cited Klosterman and fined him more than $41,000 in connection with its investigation into the collapse that killed Christopher Brown.
Klosterman owned the building, and Brown was working for him there when he died.
In December, Klosterman contested the citation before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
The I-Team checked online federal records that showed the Review Commission has not yet released a decision on Klosterman’s appeal.
Elder added the OSHA appeals will impact his office’s charging decision, telling the I-Team there would have to be an OSHA violation to support state criminal charges.
Elder said if the Review Commission decides to drop the citations, his office would likely not pursue criminal charges.
Saying in that case, “We’d have to take a real hard look at it. I think that would probably impact what we did substantially.”
News Center 7 will provide an update when the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission makes an appeal decision and when prosecutors make their charging decision.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
