LORAIN – A car crash killed a man and left another man in a coma Sunday night when their Ford Focus sped from the scene of an attempted robbery, flipped and hit a house, Lorain police said.

The dead man’s identity remains a mystery to officers today, said Lorain police Sgt. Mark Carpentiere.

Benjamin Bellisario, 32, of Grafton, called 911 about 11:40 p.m. saying he was the victim of an attempted robbery, Carpentiere said.

Bellisario told police a man got into his car at a Speedway gas station on state Route 58 in Amherst and the pair then drove to the corner of East 30th Street and Clifton Avenue. He said then the man got out of the car and got into the Focus and at that point Bellisario called police.

A Lorain police cruiser was in the area and quickly responded, and the Focus sped off after seeing the cruiser, Carpentiere said.
The driver of the Focus – Michael Kocak, 33, of Lorain – lost control of the car and flipped it, striking the home at 3716 Clifton Avenue, Carpentiere said.

Carpentiere said he did not know if the police officer activated the lights and siren on his car, but he said he does not believe there was a chase.

Kocak was taken by helicopter to MetroHealth Medical Center, police reported, but the hospital did not have him listed as a patient.

Bellisario told police Kocak cut him on the hand with a knife during the robbery attempt. He was treated at Community Health Partners, Carpentiere said. No one at the home struck by the car was injured.

Check out Tuesday’s Chronicle for more on this story.

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