The Elyria post of the State Highway Patrol has released the name of the second man killed in a fiery crash just south of Grafton early on New Year’s Eve day.

Michael S. Geraci, 51, of Cleveland, was a passenger in a pickup truck driven by Donald E. Berg, 49, of Columbia Station. Berg also died.

The delay in identifying Geraci was due to the extent of his injuries, according to Lt. Travis Hughes. The patrol was aided significantly by the Lorain County coroner’s office in the identification process, according to a news release.

The crash remains under investigation.

The patrol said previously that Berg was traveling northbound on Route 57 in Grafton Township near Highland Drive, just south of Grafton, when it went left of center. The truck was struck by a southbound semi, and both burst into flames.

The driver of the semi, William T. Bennett, 35, of Louisville, Ohio, a driver for Frito-Lay, was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.

Photographs of the vehicles, later in the day the day of the crash at Dunlap’s Towing:

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