PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio — A tragic two-vehicle traffic crash in Pickaway County claimed the lives of a teenager and their passenger. According to Pickaway County Sheriff Matthew O. Hafey, the incident occurred on May 22, just before 7:30 P.M. Emergency services responded to the area of Kingston Adelphi Road and Zanes-Trace Road. Investigators say that 15-year-old John G. Curtis, a resident of Circleville, was driving a 2007 white Hyundai eastbound on Kingston Adelphi Road. Curtis veered off the right side of the roadway and crossed into the westbound lane, where his vehicle collided with a 2006 white Ford 350 driven by 27-year-old Jerian W. Troyer from Frankfort.
The impact forced the Hyundai into a ditch, and the Ford came to rest on top of the Hyundai. Both John Curtis and his passenger, 46-year-old Joe D. Curtis, were trapped in the vehicle. Emergency responders extricated John Curtis from the wreckage, and he was airlifted by Med Flight to Grant Medical Center. He was later transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Tragically, Joe D. Curtis was pronounced dead at the scene by Pickaway Township emergency medical personnel.
Despite medical efforts, John Curtis succumbed to his injuries and passed away while still at Nationwide Children’s Hospital on Saturday. The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the cause of the crash.